COL.  GEORGE  WASHINGTON  FLOWERS 
MEMORIAL  COLLECTION 


DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
DURHAM.  N.  C. 


PRESENTED  BY 

W.  W.  FLOWERS 


THE 


SOLDIER'S 


PRAYER  BOOK 


Lord,  tesujh  us  how  to  pr»y  as  John  tmnght  his  disciples.— Lines  xi,  1. 

Likewise  the  Spirit  also  helpeth  our  Infirmities :  for  we  know  not  what  we 
should  pray  for  a.s  we  ought. :  but  the  Spirit  itself  maketh  intercession  for  na 
with  groiin"ingi  which  cnnnot  be  uttered. 

And  he  that  searcheth  the  hearts  knoweth  what  is  the  mind  of  the  Spirit, 
because  he  maketh  intercession  for  the  saints,  according  to  the  uHU  of  God.— 
Rom.  riii,  26,  27. 


CHARLESTON: 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  SOUTH  CAROLINA  TRACT  SOCIETY. 
1863. 


EVANS   &   COGSWELL,    PRINTERS, 

3  Broad  street,  and  103  East  Bay,  Charl.>ston,  S.  C. 


THE  FLOWERS  eOlLECnON  9-9-^,^^3^ 

DEDICATION.C  Ttf^^;^^ 


7^ 


This  volume  originated  in  the  desire  expressed  by 
many  soldiers  to  have  forms _^of  Prayer  through  which 
they  might  unite  in  social  worship,  and  guide  more 
perfectly  their  private  devotions,  and  is  now  dedi- 
cated to  George  A.  Trenholm,  Esq.,  by  whose 
approval  and  liberality  it  has  been  prepared  and 
printed,  and  to  A  Captain  in  the  Army,  who 
has  both  encouraged  its  publication  and  will  largely 
aid  in  its  circulation. 


COIsTTENTS. 


I — Social  Prayers — Gknkual. 

1.  For  the  Sabbath. 

2.  For  any  Occasion. 

3.  "  "       • 
4. 

5.  •     " 
II — Social  Prayers — Spkcial. 

1.  In  anticipation  of  Battle. 

2.  Prayer  and  Thanksgiving  for  Victory. 

3.  After  a  Repulse  or  I)efeat. 

4.  For  a  Day  of  Thanksgiving. 

5.  For  a  Day  of  Humiliation,  Fasting,  and  Prayer. 

6.  For  the  Revival  of  Religion. 

7.  For  our  Rulers.   , 

8.  For  our  Confederacy. 

9.  For  Absent  Families. 

10.  For  Funeral  Service. 

11.  Against  our  enemies  and  for  Peace. 

12.  Thanksgiving  for  Peace. 

[II — Personal  anu  Phia^ate  Prayers. 

1.  For  a  Professor  of  P»,eligion. 

2.  For  a  cold,  careless  Professor — a  Backslider. 
.3.  Of  a  Sinner,  for  mercy,  repentanee,  and  faith. 

4.  For  a  Sick  or  Wounded  Soldier. 

5.  On  Recovery  from  Sickness. 
IV — Short  Praykrs. 

1;  For  Morning. 

2.  For  Evening, 

o.  On  Going  into  Battle. 


301067 


6  CONTENTS. 

'■  4.  In  Prospect  of  Battle. 

5.  On  Sentinel  and  Picket  Duty. 
C.  Wlien  Sick  and  Wounded. 

7.  For  Divine  Guidance. 

8.  A  General  Thanksgiving. 

9.  Thanksgiving. 
10.  General  Prayer, 
n.  Collect. 

12.  Confession. 

13.  For  Defence. 

14.  For  Soldiers  under  Sentence  of  Death. 

15.  For  Forgiveness. 

16.  For  Direction. 

17.  On  Deliverance  from  Enemies. 

18.  For  those  Exposed  to  Danger. 

19.  During  our  present  National  Troubles. 

20.  To  be  used  in  Ships  of  War. 
24.  Sailor's  Prayer. 

22.  During  a  Storm. 

23.  Thanksgiving  after  a  Storm. 

24.  For  a  Sick  Person. 

25.  After  Sudden  Visitation. 

26.  For  Close  of  any  Service. 

27.  Thfe  Creed. 

28.  Gloria  in  Excelsis. 

29.  The  Ten  Commandments. 

SeT-ECTIONS  of  SCRIPTURF. 

1.  For  a  Day  of  Thanksgiving.  r 

2.  For  a  Day  of  Humiliation. 
?,.  For  Victory. 

4.  For  Repulse. 

5.  For  Funerals. 

6.  For  Peace. 


SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 


GENERAL. 
No.  I. 

For  the  Sabbath  Day. 

ALMIGHTY  and  most  merciful  God,  Fa- 
ther, Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  we  thank 
thee  for  another  Sabbath,  which  commemo- 
rates the  finished  works  of  creation  and 
redemption.  May  we  be  enabled  to  rejoice 
and  be  glad  in  it,  as  the  best  of  da^^s,  and 
the  emblem  and  foretaste  of  that  glorious 
rest  which  remains  for  the  people  of  God. 
Though  away  from  home,  and  far  from  the 
assemblies  of  thy  people  in. our  accustomed 
sanctuaries,  may  this  Sabbath  be  made  to 
each  of  our  hearts  a  day  of  spiritual  im- 
provement, heavenly  consolation,  and  near 
communion  with  thee,  who  art  the  Lord  of 
the  Sabbath.  Separated  from  friends,  and 
gathered  together  in  this  desert  place,  may 


«  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

^ve  feci  as  did  thy  disciples  when  apart  with 
tiiee  in  prayer.  Be  thou  our  Sanctuary. 
Make  this  solitary  place  a  Bethel,  none 
other  than  the  house  of  God,  and  the  very 
gate  of  Heaven.  May  our  hearts  be  made 
to  burn  within  us,  and  to  exclaim,  surely 
God  is  in  this  place,  though  we  knew  it 
not,  to  bless  us,  and  to  do  us  good. 

Draw  our  hearts  to  thee.  Draw  them 
away  from  the  vanities  and  vexations  of 
this  world.  Excite  within  us  spiritual  hun- 
ger and  thirst.  Feed  our  souls  with  the 
bread  of  Heaven,  and  give  us  that  living 
water,  of  which,  if  any  man  drink,  he  will 
never  thirst  any  more.  O  satisfy  us  with 
thy  mercy,  so  shall  we  rejoice,  and  be  glad^ 
all  the  days  of  our  lives.  May  we  find  rest 
in  thee  from   all   sin,  sorrow,  and   sadness. 

Give,  us,  O  Lord,  rest  from  our  enemies 
who  have  come  up  against  us,  and  wrong- 
fully persecute  and  oppress  us.  Let  no  rude 
alarms  of  raging  foes  disturb  our  peaceful 
rest  this  day.  Eestrain  their  wrath,  and 
make  it  to  praise  thee.  But  if  compelled 
to  fight,  gird  us  with  strength  for  battle,  and 
enable  us  to  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith 
once  delivered  to  our  fathers.  Go  uj)  with 
us.     Be  thou  the  captain  of  our  hosts,  our 


GENERAL.  V 

leader,  and  commandei*.  Help  us  and  fight 
for  us.  O  thou  who  art  a  God  of  Battles, 
and  a  man  of  war,  with  whom  it  is  nothing 
to  help,  whether  with  many  or  with  few, 
them  that  have  no  power,  send  us  not  up 
against  this  great  multitude  unless  tliou  go 
up  with  us,  for  how  will  it  be  known  that  we 
are  thy  people  unless  thou  go  up  with  us. 
0  God,  who  art  our  fathers'  God,  we  rest  on 
thee;  and  in  thy  name  as  a  just  God,  and 
the  avenger  of  the  oppressed,  we  will  go  up 
against  them.  Let  us  not  be  dismayed  or 
terrified  because  our  enemies  are  lively  and 
strong.  Put  them  in  fear,  O  God.  Make 
tliem  flee  before  us.  Ride  thou  upon  the 
whirlwind,  and  direct  the  storm  of  battle. 
May  w^e  live  to  praise  thy  great  and  glorious 
name,  who  hast  gotten  for  us  the  victory, 
and  triumphed  gloriously. 

AVith  thy  law  and  testimony  before  us, 
we  appeal  for  the  righteousness  of  our  cause 
to  thee,  the  Lord  God  omnipotent,  who 
reignest  with  power  supreme  over  all  king- 
doms and  governments.  Unto  thee,  OLord, 
who  didst  give  to  our  fathers,  and  to  us  by 
inheritance,  this  Southern  land,  and  didst 
bring  among  us  the  heathen  to  be  our  ser- 
vants, for  irood  to  them,  and  to  the  world, 


10  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 

an^  for  glory  to  thine  own  great  name,  unto 
tliee  do  we  now  fly  for  protection  from  cruel 
and  unjust  men,  who  seek  to  disinherit  and 
destroy  us.  Arise,  0  Lord,  in  thine  anger. 
Plead  thou  our  cause,  and  awake  for  us  to 
the  judgment  thou  hast  commanded.  Judge 
us,  O  Lord,  and  plead  our  cause  against  an 
iingodl}^,  mei'ciless,  and  perfidious  nation, 
ttnd  grant  that,  being  delivered  from  all 
connection  with  them,  and  dependent  on 
thee  alone,  we  may  become  a  united  and 
happ3^  people,  whose  God  is  the  Lord. 

And  now,  O  our  Saviour,  who  didst  on 
this  day  ascend  far  above  all  heavens,  there 
to  reign  highly  exalted  above  ever}^  name, 
until  thou  hast  put  all  thine  enemies  under 
thy  feet,  come  and  reign  in  our  hearts  and 
minds.  Set  up  within  us  thy  kingdom  of 
righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Eestore  peace  to  our  bleeding  land. 
Eevive  thy  people  who  are  scattered  abroad 
everyw^iere.  Reunite  congregations  and 
households.  Restore  commerce  and  agri- 
culture, and  may  the  earth  again  yield  her 
increase,  and  the  abundance  of  the  sea  bring 
prosperity.  May  our  colleges  again  become 
the  seniinaries  of  learning,  the  jfountains  of 
wisdom,  and  the  nurseries  of  pious  and  pa- 


^  GENERAL.  11 

triotic  citizens,  and  of  faithful  and  zealous 
ministers  of  the  everlasting  gospel;  and  may 
order,  harmony,  and  peace  be  effectually 
and  permanently  restored,  and  truth  and 
justice,  religion  and  piety,  universally  pre- 
vail. 

Hear  us,  O  Christ,  in  these  our  prayers, 
which  we  offer  unto  Grod  in  thj^  name,  and 
help  us  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Comforter, 
to  call  upon  God,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  as  thou  hast  taught,  saying:  Our 
Father,  w4io  art  in  heaven.  Hallowed  be 
thy  name.  Th}^  kingdom  come.  Thy  will 
be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven.  Give 
us  this  da}^  our  daily  bread.  And  forgive 
us  our  trespasses  as  we  forgive  those  who 
trespass  against  us.  And  lead  us  not  into 
temptation,  but  deliver  us  from  evil.  For 
thine  is  the  kingdom,  and  the  power,  and 
the  glor}^  for  ever.     Amen. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
the  love  of  God  our  heavenl}?-  Father,  and 
the  fellowshij)  of  the  Holj^  Ghost  be  with 
us  all,  now,  henceforth,  and  for  evermore. 
Amen. 


12  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 


No.  II. 

ALMIGHTY,  everlasting,  and  ever  blessed 
God,  who  fQv  thine  own  glory  made  us 
of  dust  and  breathed  into  our  nostrils  the 
breath  of  life,  and  didst  illumine  our  minds 
with  the  inspiration  of  understanding,  that 
we  might  serve  thee  always;  permit  us  now 
tb  worship  thee.  ,We  confess  that  we  are 
sinners,  and  break  th}^  laws  every  day  in 
thought,  word,  and  action.  We  confess  that 
because  of  these  sins  we  deserve  to  be  cast 
into  hell,  and  to  endure  thine  anger  for  ever 
We  confess  that  we  are  dead  in  sin,  and 
cannot  save  ourselves  from  thy  righteous 
condemnation  and  evci lasting  death,  since 
no  sorrow  for  sin  can  satisfy  thy  justice, 
and  even  our  best  works  are  so  mixed  with 
sin  as  to  demand  punishment.  We  thank 
thee,  therefore,  O  most  merciful  God,  that 
thou  hast  devised  a  way  to  save  sinners, 
through  Jesus,  thine  only  begottep  Son,  the 
Saviour  of  mankind.  We  bless  thee  that 
Christ  became  a  man,  kept  thy  law,  and 
died  on  the  cross  for  us ;  that  he  rose  again 
from  the  dead,  and  ever  liveth  at  thy  right 
hand,  to  plead  for  us  in  heaven;  to  give 
repentance    and  remission    of  sins;    and  to 


OKNERAL.  13 

send  the  Holy  Ghost,  tlie  Comforter,  to  con- 
vince, convert,  and  regenerate  our  hearts, 
and  to  help  our  infirmities  by  teaching  us 
how  to  pray,  to  believe,  and  to  repent,  and 
by  working  in  us  to  will  and  to  do  accord- 
in  i;  to  thy  good  pleasure.  We  bless  thee 
that,  "when  we  could  not  obey  th}"  law  on 
account  of  sin,  God,  sending  his  own  Son  in 
the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin,  con- 
demned sin  in  the  flesh.  We  bless  thee  that 
salvation  is  thy  gift,  freely  offered  to  all 
men;  and  that  thy  Holy  Spirit,  as  a  Spirit 
of  wisdom,  and  of  power,  is  bestowed  upon 
all  who  ask  it  in  sincerity. 

Grant,  0  God,  we  beseech  thee,  that  Holy 
Spirit  unto  us  now,  w4io  are  in  circumstances 
of  peculiar  danger  and  temptation,  to  enable 
us  to  seek  and  to  obtain  the  salvation  of  our 
souls;  to  accept  thine  offered  mercy  and  thy 
gracious  promises ;  to  believe  in  Jesus  Christ 
as  set  before  us  in  thy  glorious  gospel ;  to 
come  unto  Him  and  find  rest ;  so  that  we  may 
take  up  our  cross  and  follow  Him,  and  never 
be  ashamed  to  confess  him  before  men,  but 
may  rather  glory  in  his  cross,  and  find  his 
burden  light,  and  his  ways  pleasantness  and 
peace.  Enable  us  to  be  frequent  in  prayer, 
and  to  offer  up  continually  unto   God  the 


14  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

wishes  of  our  hearts,  casting  all  our  cares 
and  burdens  upon  thee,  and  ever  looking 
unto  Jesus,  the  author  and  finisher  of  our 
faith,  for  grace  and  mercy  to  help  us  accord- 
ing to  our  need. 

Give  us  saving  faith,  inspiring  hope,  cou- 
rageous confidence,  and  that  love  of  Chri.:-t 
which  will  cast  out  all  fear.  Give  us  that 
true  repentance  which  will  make  us  forsake 
sin  and  dread  to  offend  thee,  our  most  mer- 
ciful Father;  or  to  dishonor  Christ,  our  most 
blessed  Lord  and  Saviour ;  or  to  grieve  the 
Holy  Spirit,  our  guide  and  guardian.  Be- 
stow upon  us  while  living  grace  to  prepare 
for  dying,  and  for  that  judgment  which  is 
after  death,  that  so,  dying  daily  unto  the 
world,  our  hearts  may  live  in  heaven,  and 
rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  Pre- 
serve us  from  the  fear  of  man  and  from  the 
power  of  our  enemies.  Prevent,  if  it  be 
possible,  the  fierce  conflict  of  battle,  by 
making  this  war  to  cease,  and  causing  even 
our  enemies  to  be  at  peace  with  us.  But  if 
called  ever  to  hazard  our  lives  in  bloody 
strife,  teach  our  fingers  to  fight  and  our 
hands  to  war.  Enable  us  to  put  on  a 'manly 
courage.  Imbue  our  minds  with  pure  and 
lofty  patriotism.     Clothe  us   in    the   whole 


GENERAL.  15 

armor  of  God.  Animate  us  with  a  hol}^ 
boldness  and  self-sacrificing  devotion,  that 
we  may  contend  earnestly  and  successfully 
for  our  wives,  our  mothers,  and  our  sisters; 
for  our  homes  and  our  sanctuaries;  and  for 
the  blood-bought  inheritance  of  civil  and 
religious  liberty  bequeathed  to  us  by  our 
fathers.  And  grant  that,  if  thou  so  ordain- 
est,  we  may  willinglj'  die;  whether  we  live 
or  die,  may  we  be  the  Lord's,  so  that  to  us 
to  live  maj'  be  Christ,  and  to  die  gain  — 
even  an  entrance  among  the  righteous  who 
die  to  live;  whose  departing  spirits  are  with 
Christ  in  paradise;  and  whose  bodies  shall 
come  forth  from  the  grave  and  ascend,  with 
Christ,  into  heaven,  to  reign  with  him  in 
glor}^  through  a  blessed  immortality. 

And  now,  O  God,  our  heavenly  Father! 
as  w^e  deserve  nothing  of  ourselves,  we  be- 
seech thee  to  answer  these  our  prayers  for 
Christ's  sake.     Amen. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc.* 
The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc.* 

^Repeat  as  found  in  No.  I. 


16  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 


No.   III. 


OGOD,  who  art  a  Spirit  infinite,  eternal, 
jind  unchangeable  in  thy  btiing,  wisdom, 
power,  iioliness,  justice,  goodness,  and  truth  ; 
we  worship  and  adore  thee.  Thou  art  every- 
where present.  Thou  art  able  to  do  what- 
soever thou  pleasest,  and  thou  knowest  all 
things.  Our  hearts  are  naked  and  open 
before  thee,  with  all  their  sins  and  sorrows. 
Blessed  be  thy  name,  that  while  enthroned  . 
in  majesty  thou  delightest  in  mercy;  and 
that  while  thy  glory  is  proclaimed  by  the 
heavens,  and  the  earth,  and  all  things  thou 
hast  made,  thy  tender  mercies  are  over  all 
thine  other  works. 

We  now  approach  thee  as  a  God  who 
is  love;  as  the  Lord  God  merciful  and  gra- 
cious; as  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ;  as  in  Christ  rec- 
onciling sinners  unto  thyself;  forgiving  iniq- 
uity and  blotting  out  transgression,  and  not 
willing  that  any  should  perish,  but  that  all 
should  come  unto  thee  and  find  grace  and 
merc}^  to  help  them.  Enable  us  to  draw 
nigh  in  faith,  and  with  a  holy  boldness 
through  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  way,  the 
truth,  and  the.  life;  the  Lamb  of  God,  who 


GENERAL.  17 

taketb  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  and  who 
ever  liveth,  as  our  advocate  with  the  Father, 
to  make  intercession  for  us. 

O  God,  we  are  sinners  before  thee.  We 
are  guilty  in  thy  sight.  We  are  helpless 
and  hopeless.  We  are  without  strength  to 
save  ourselves,  and  we  are  without  excuse. 
We  plead  no  merits  of  our  own,  for  we  have 
nothing  of  our  own  but  our  unbelief,  ungod- 
liness, and  ingratitude  toward  Thee,  in  whom 
Ave  live  and  move,  and  have  our  being.  O 
God,  wert  thou  to  enter  into  judgment  with 
us  we  could  not  stand  in  thy  sight.  But, 
O  our  justly  offended  Father,  to  whom  can 
we  go  but  unto  thee  ?  Thou  alone  canst 
save  us,  and  pardon  our  sins,  and  justify  us 
freely  for  Christ's  sake.  Our  reliance  is  on 
thy  mercy.  Our  confidence  is  in  the  Lord 
our  Kighteousness.  Our  hope  is  in  thy  word 
of  invitation,  promise,  and  forgiving  love. 
Thou  hast  said,  ask  and  ye  shall  receive, 
seek  and  ye  shall  find,  knoek  and  the  door 
shall  be  opened.  O  Lord,  behold  us  here 
asking,  seeking,  and  knocking  at  the  door  of 
th}'  grace.  May  we  now  receive  thy  bless- 
ing, and  find  mercy,  and  feel  as  children  at 
home  in  our  Father's  house,  and  in  the  en- 
joyment of  thy  pitiful  compassion  and  loving 


18  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

kindness.  Thou,  0  our  Saviour,  hast  said, 
Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  are  weary  and 
heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest. 
Lord  !  through  whom  can  we  approach  unto 
a  holj-  and  just  God  but  by  thee,  for  there 
is  no  other  name  under  heaven  by  which 
we  can  be  saved  but  thine  onlj-.  O  Lord 
our  God !  thou  Saviour  of  the  lost !  thou 
Eedeemer  and  friend  of  sinners,  wo  now 
come  to  thee  as  a  Prince  and  Saviour  to 
give  us  repentance  and  remission  of  sins;  to 
bestow  upon  us  thy  peace;  to  shed  abroad 
in  our  hearts  thy  love;  to  impart  to  us  the 
blessings  of  the  gospel  and  the  consolations 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  we  may  be  filled 
with    peace  and  joy  in  believing. 

Come,  0  Saviour,  near  to  us.  Draw  us 
nearer  and  nearer  to  thee.  May  we  feel  that 
thou  art  with  us  of  a  truth.  May  this  camp 
be  miado  to  us  a  Bethel,  none  other  than  the 
house  of  God  and  the  gate  of  heaven.  Away 
from  home,  may  we  feel  at  home  with  thee 
who  art  the  dwelling  place  of  thy  children. 
Separated  from  the  loved  and  yearned  for 
friends  of  earth,  may  we  hold  communion 
with  them  around  thy  mercy  seat.  Alone, 
solitary,  and  often  sad,  may  we  feel  that  we 
are,  nevertheless,  not  alone,  because  thou, 


GENERAL.  19 

the  beloved  of  our  souls,  art  with  us.  Ex- 
posed to  dangers,  and  to  many  hardships, 
and  trials,  and  temptations,  may  we  he  sup- 
ported by  thy  presence,  sustained  by  tliy 
power,  and  strengthened  by  thy  might,  so 
that  we  may  feel — even  in  the  state  in  which 
we  now  are — contented,  cheerful,  and  happy. 
May  our  mutual  intercourse  be  sweetened 
and  sanctified,  and  may  we  enjoy  much  of 
the  communion  of  saints,  and  the  love  of 
God,  and  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  our  seasons  of  private  and  social  worship. 
Preserve  health  whei-e  it  is  enjoyed.  Re- 
store it  where  it  is  enfeebled.  Eenew  the 
vigor  of  those  that  have  been  wounded,  so 
that  they  may  run  and  not  be  weary,  and 
walk  and  not  faint.  Comfort  all  who  are 
sick  and  sorrowful.  Bless  our  absent  fami- 
lies and  friends.  Eevive  pure  and  undefiled 
religion  in  our  churches,  and  pour  out  thy 
Spirit  in  a  Pentecostal  shower  upon  all  our 
camps,  until  the  voice  of  rejoicing  and  sal- 
vation shall  be  heard  throughout  our  South- 
ern land.  Enable  her^  soon  to  accomplisli 
this  warfare  by  the  defeat  of  her  enemies 
and  the  triumphant  establishment  of  her 
independence,  liberty,  and  peace.  Remove 
from   us,  O  Lord,  this   war   which    is   tliy 


20  SOCIAL   PRAYERS.* 

sword.  Put  up  thy  sword  into  thy  scab- 
bard and  ordain  peace  for  us,  for  thou  art 
the  God  of  peace,  who  hast  prochiimed  peace 
on  earth  and  good  will  to  men.  Grant  these 
requests,  thou  Prince  of  peace,  and  to  thee, 
with  the  Father,  and  the  IIol}-  Ghost,  we 
will  render  all  praise,  thanksgiving,  and 
glory,  now,  henceforth,  and  for  ever.    Amen. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  ixrace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 


0 


No.  IV 
GOD,  who  art  thc'inspirer  and  hearer  of 
pra3'er,  teach  us  now  to  pray  in  an 
acceptable  time  in  which  we  may  be  heard, 
and  with  the  effectual,  fervent  prayer  of  the 
righteous,  which  availeth  much.  As  thou 
hast  given  us  a^i  opportunity  with  one  ac- 
eord  to  make  our  common  supplication  unto 
thee,  so  give  us  hearts  to  \)viiy.  ^iay  the 
Holy  Spirit  help  our  infirmities,  for  we  know 
not  how  to  pray,  nor  wliat  we  should  pray 
for  as  we  ought.  O  holy  and  blessed  Com- 
forter!  make  intercession  for  us,  with  groan- 
ings  that  cannot  be  uttered.  And,  seeing 
we  have  not  a  High  Priest  who  cannot  be 
touched  with  a  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  but 
one  who   was  in  all  respects  tempted  like 


GENERAL.  21 

118  we  are,  yet  without  sin,  ciuible  us  to  come 
with  boldness  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that 
we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help 
in  time  of  need.  And  oh,  do  thou,  who  in 
the  days  of  thy  flesh  didst  offer  up  prayers 
and  supplications  with  strong  crying  and 
tears  unlo  Him  that  was  able  to  save  from 
death,  hear  now  our  prayer.  Intercede  for 
us,  and  become  thyself  the  author  of  eternal 
salvation  unto  each  of  our  souls. 

We  are  now  in  the  flesh.  We  groan  under 
the  bondage  of  its  corruption,  the  lusts  of 
the  eyes,  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  and  the 
pride  of  life.  The  law  in  our  members  wars 
against  the  law  of  our  God,  so  that  when 
we  would  do  good,  evil  is  present  with  us. 
Give  us,  O  Saviour,  power  to  mortify  our 
bodies,  and  keep  them  under,  and  to  crucify 
the  flesh  with  its  afiections  and  lusts,  that 
we  may  enjoy  the  liberty  of  the-  children  of 
God,  and  present  unto  thee  body,  soul,  and 
spirit,  as  a  living  sacrifice  which  is  our  only 
reasonable  sei*v'ice. 

We,  Lord,  are  now,  even  as  thou  also 
once  wert,  in  the  wilderness,  tempted  of  the 
Devil,  compassed  about  with  manifold  trials, 
exposed  to  innumerable  dangers,  and  encir- 
cled by  malignant  enemies,  who  wrongfully 


Z'Z  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

<:oiiio  u})  against  us  and  seek  to  destroy  ns. 
O  holy  and  syinpatliizing  Saviour,  permit 
us  to  lean  upon  thee  as  our  Beloved.  Keep 
us  bj'-  thy  power.  ()i)en  up  tor  us  in  this 
dreary  desert  a  fountain  of  living  water 
and  wells  of  salvation,  and  lead  us,  as  pil- 
grims and  strangers,  in  the  right  \vay  to 
that  iidieritanee  which  is  incorruptible  and, 
undefiled,  and  cannot  fade  away.  Be  thou 
our  guide  and  guardian.  Keep  us  near  thy 
side.  Uphold  us  by  tin'  powerful  hand. 
■Strengthen  us  in  our  weakness.  Comfort 
us  in  all  our  tribulations.  .Defend  and  de- 
liver us.  Subdue  our  enemies  under  us. 
Give  us  valor  and  victory.  Cause  this  war 
to  cease.  Make  our  enemies  to  be  at  peace 
with  us.  Compel  their  wrath  .to  praise  thee, 
and  the  remainder  thereof  restrain.  Per- 
form toward  us  the  inercy  shown  to  our 
fathers,  and  remember  thy  holy  covenant 
with  them,  that  we,  being  saved  from  our 
enemies,  and  from  the  liand  of  all  that  hate 
us,  may  serve  thee,  without  fear,  in  holiness 
and  righteousness  before  thee,  all  the  days 
of  our  life. 

Let  no  trial  come  upon  us  but  what  thou, 
()  our  compassionate  Saviour,  wilt  enable 
us  to  bear.     Send   forth   ministering  spirits 


GENERAL.  23 

to  minrster  to  our  necessities,  to  succor  us, 
and  to  encamp  around  about  us  and  deliver 
us.  Preserve  the  lives  and  health  of  our 
officers  and  soldiers.  Give  to  our  officers 
wisdom,  skill,  and  power,  that  they  may 
lead  us  in  a  plain  and  safe  path  because  of 
our  enemies.  Put  thy  Spirit  within  them, 
and  grant  them  thy  salvation.  Make  them 
counsellors  as  well  as  commanders,  that  they 
may  combine  wisdom  and  sympathy  with 
authority  and  strict  discipline,  and  niay 
thus  secure  the  devotion  as  well  as  the  obe- 
dience of  their  troops.  Imbue  the  heart  of 
every  soldier  with  the  spirit  of  implicit  and 
cheerful  obedience.  May  they  endure  all  their 
hardships,  and  discharge  every  duty,  as  im- 
posed by  God;  and  do  thou,  O  merciful  Father, 
give  them  patience  and  resignation  to  thy 
will,  and  a  single  eyeHo  thy  glory,  and  to  the 
honor  and  happiness  of  their  country.  Grant 
them  a  speedy  release  from  the  toils  and 
trials  of  soldier  life.  Eestore  them  soon  to 
their  homes,  and  may  they  live  long  to 
enjoy  the  abundant  blessings  of  peace  and 
prosperity.  Comfort  all  among  them  that 
mourn.  Awaken,  convince,  and  convert  the 
impenitent.  Guide  the  weary,  seeking  sin- 
ner to  the   Saviour,   and   grant  him   peace 


24  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

and  joy  in  believing.  Increase  the  faith 
and  piety  of  thy  true  disciples.  Ileal  and 
restore  the  backsliding,  and  love  us  all 
freely.  Prepare  us  while  living  for  dying, 
and  when  dying  for  death,  so  that  dying 
may  be  going  home,  a  welcome  discharge, 
and  a  joyful  entrance  into  thine  everlasting 
kingdom. 

Hear  and  answer  these  petitions,  O  God, 
for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ,  our  blessed 
Saviour  and  Eedeemer,  to  whom,  with  the 
Father  and  the  eternal  Spirit,  be  everlasting 
praises.     Amen. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 

No.  Y. 

ALMIGHTY  God,  fountain  of  life  and  im- 
mortality, source  <5f  every  blessing,  the 
gracious  Redeemer  of  our  souls,  we  praise 
and  magnify  thy  glorious  name  for  the  gift 
of  tliy  onh^  Son,  for  the  inspii-ation  of  the 
Holy  ('Omforter,  and  for  the  blessed  hope 
of  everlasting  life.  We  thank  thee,  adora- 
ble Redeemer,  that  thou  didst  so  love  the 
world  as  to  pour  out  thy  precious  blood  for 
sinful  man,  and  that  this  da}"  thy  gracious 
intercession    prolongs   our  life   and    secures 


GENERAL.  25 

the  innumerable  blessings  we  continually 
receive.  Would  it  please  thee  to  pardon 
the  sins  we  have  committed  against  thee,  for 
we  have  violated  thy  law;  we  have  grieved 
thy  Spirit;  we  have  followed  the  desires  of 
an  evil  heart;  we  have  yielded  to  tempta- 
tions and  lust,  and  pride  and  anger;  we 
have  sinned  against  thee  with  our  lips  and 
in  our  hearts  through  all  our  life.  0  most 
merciful  Saviour,  forgive  our  transgressions. 
Bring  us  not  into  judgment.  Banish  us -not 
from  thy  presence,  but  in  thy  infinite  com- 
passion renew  and  sanctify  our  hearts.  Wash 
us  in  thy  blood.  Anoint  us  with  thy  vSpirit. 
Unfold  th}^  character  and  law  to  our  minds. 
Teach  us  to  do  thy  holy  will.  And  so  sub- 
due and  destroy  all  worldly  passions  and 
evil  habits  that  we  may  adoringly  love  thee 
and  possess  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord.  O  Spirit  of  all  grace  and 
comfort,  quicken  our  conscience,  grant  to 
us  the  evidence  and  witness  of  acceptance, 
and  create  within  us  the  holy  purpose  of 
consecrating  ourselves  unreservedly  to  the 
glory  of  God,  and  so  guide  us  that  we  in  ay 
live  a  useful  and  happy  life  in  Christ  Jesus 
our  Saviour. 

Almighty  God,  we  commit  us  to  thy  care. 


26  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

Guard  ur  in  danger.  Preserve  us  from  dis- 
ease, and  in  the  day  of  battle  cover  our 
heads.  .Deliver  us,  we  beseech  thee,  from 
ambitious,  and  revengeful,  and  blood-thirsty 
passions,  and  animate  us  with  a  holy  love 
of  country  and  respect  for  our  officers,  and 
give  to  us  that  unity  of  purpose  and  power, 
and  so  dis])lay  thy  providence  that  our 
enemies  may  be  smitten,  and  tiie  lustre  of  a 
great  victory  gathei"  around  the  brow  of  the 
Son-  of  God.  Save  our  country  and  our 
rulers,  keep  our  people  in  union  of  spirit 
and  dependence  on  Thee,  and  make  thy  law 
the  great  pillar  of  government. 

O  Father  of  mercy,  bless  our  homes,  fold 
to  thy  guardian  bosom  those  whom  we  have 
left,  and  console  and  preserve  them  with  thy 
most  tender  care,  should  any  of  us  be  called 
to  die.  Deliver  us  from  the  temptations  and 
depravity  of  the  camp,  and  grant  that  in 
thy  good  providence  we  may  return  to  onr 
homes  to  love  thee  with  a  perfect  heart, 
and  to  serve  thee  with  a  willing  mind.  In 
ever}^  moment  of  darkness  and  fear,  of 
weakness  and  want,  in  camp  or  in  hospital, 
on  the  march  or  in  battle,  come  thou  near, 
O  Son  of  God  ;  be  thou  our  shield,  and  song, 
and  the  ^reat  Rock  of  our  defence. 


GENERAL.  2t 

O  Father  of  mercy,  our  life,  our  souls, 
.our  immortality  are  in  thy  hands.  Increase 
within  us  a  livel}^  faith  in  thy  mercy  through 
Christ  Jesus,  and  in  thy  all-protecting  prov- 
idence, that  whatever  our  condition  may  be, 
in  sickness  or  in  health,  in  life  or  in  death, 
we  may  find  acceptance  through  his  precious 
blood,  and  enjoy  the  blessed  hope  of  ever- 
lasting life. 

O  Lord,  w^  would  cheerfully  submit  to 
our  duties,  dangers,  and  difficulties,  with 
an  humble  reliance  on  thy  fatherly  care. 
Strengthen  our  purpose,  and  confirm  us  in 
a  determined  resistance  to  ev.ery  sin,  and 
assist  us  in  the  regular  and  faithful  dis- 
charge of  every  religious  and  civil  duty. 
Hear  us,  we  beseech  thee,  O  Merciful  Far- 
ther, and  accept  us  in  Jesus  Christ  who  died 
for  us;  and  to  thee,  the  God  of  all  grace,  we 
will  ascribe  praise  and  glory  for  ever  and 
ever,  through  the  infinite  love  of  .Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord.  Amen, 
.    Our  Father,  who  art  in  lieaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Jjord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 


0 


SOCIAL   TRAYEIJS. 

SPECIAL. 

No.  I. 

A  Prayer  in  anticipation  of -Battle. 

GOD,  Fiither,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  thou 
bast  said,  Call  upon  mc  in  the  day  of 
trouble,  and  1  will  hear  thee  and  deliver  thee. 
We,  therefore,  now  approach  thee  in  oui* 
time  of  <langer.  The  enemj^  is  near  and 
round-about  ns,  and  we  may  soon  be  called 
upon  to  hazard  our  lives  in  the  field  of  bat- 
tle; and  some  of  us  be  wounded  or  suddenly 
cut  down  in  the  midst  of  our  days.  O  God, 
who  hast  called  thyself  a  man  of  war,  bo  not 
far  from  us.  Thou  didst  fight  for  Israel ; 
and  our  fathers  have  told  us  what  wonders 
thou  didst  perform  in  their  days;  how  thou 
didst  dash  in  pieces  their  enemies,  and  sub- 
due them  under  them;  and  how  in  the  great- 
ness of  thine  excellency  thou  didst  over- 
throw those  that  rose  up  against  them.  We, 
t4ieretbre,  look  to  thee  wlio  didst  deliver 
them  .from  death,  and  beseech  thee  to  go 
with  our  army;  to  become  our  Leader  and 
Commander;  and  to  teach  our  hands  to 
war,  and  our  fingers  to  fight,  that  \ve  may- 
wax  valiant,  and  fight  manfuUy^^and  be  made 


SPECIAL.  29 

iniglity  through  Thee,  to  drive  back  and  to 
destroy  our  enemies. 

We  thank  and  praise  Thy  glorious  Name, 
tlmt  thou  hast  afflicted  us  less  than  our  in- 
iquities deserved.  Kemeraber  not  against 
us  our  innumerable  offences.  Let  thy  tender 
mercies  save  us  from  their  guilt,  and  wash  us 
from  their  pollution  in  the  fountain  opened 
for  sin  and  lyicleanness.  O  Lord,  be  gra- 
cious unto  us  for  Christ's  sake,  that  being 
justified  by  faith  in  him  we  may  have  peace 
with  God,  and  with  our  own  consciences. 
Impart  to  us  a  sweet  hope  that  thou  art  cftir 
reconciled  God  and  Father;  that  the  spirit 
of  love  may  cast  o^it  all  fear.  Hearken  unto 
our  voice,  O  Lord,  while  we  now  cry  unto 
thee.  Have  mercj'  upon  us,  and  hear  us.  Be 
thou,  O  Lord,  the  strength  of  each  heart,  our 
light,  and  our  salvation ;  and  then,  though 
an  host  should  come  up  against  us,  yet  shall 
we  not  be  afraid  of  them  who,  when  they 
have  killed  the  body,  have  nothing  more 
that  they  can  do. 

But,  while  thus  confessing  our  sins,  and 
imploring  mercy  for  Christ's  sake,  we  plead 
before  thee  the  righteousness  of  our  cause. 
We  contend  for  liberty  of  conscience,  liberty 
of  worship,  and  liberty  of  life.    We  stand  in 


80  SOCIAL    PRAYKRS. 

defence  of  home,  and  Invppiness,  and  the  her- 
itage thou  Inist  given  us,  and  which  our 
fathers  bouglit  for  us  with  tlieir  own  blood. 
Arise,  O  tliou  to  whom  heh)ngeth  vengeance, 
and  })!ead  our  cause  against  an  unjust  and 
ungodly  nation,  who  iiave  wrongfully  come 
up  against  us  to  destroy  us. 

O  most  powerful  and  glorious  Lord  God, 
who  sittest  in  the  throne  judgjng  right:  we 
beseech  thee  to  take  the  cause  into  thine 
own  hand,  and  judge  between  us  and  our 
enemies.  Stir  up  tliy  strength,  0  I^ord,  and 
colne  and  help  us.  and  avenge  us  speedily 
for  the  op])ression  of  the  poor;  for  the  sigh- 
ing of  the  needy;  for  the  miseries  of  the 
widow  and  the  orphan  ;  for  thy  sanctuaries 
defiled;  for  th}^  Name  blasphemed;  for  thy 
laws  despised  and  made  subject  to  a  higher 
law;  tor  virtuous  chastity  dishonored,  and 
innocent  blood  shed  w'ithout  cause;  for 
thou^^ands  of  thine  own  dear  children  —  the 
friends  of  Jesus,  and  the  nursing  fathers  of 
thy  Church  —  ruthlessly  slaughtered  ;  for 
these  things,  0  God,  who  wilt  not  hold  their 
perpetrators  guiltless,  arise  and  be  known 
by  the  judgments  thou  shalt  execute  upon 
them.  And  may  it  be  made  evident  to  us, 
and  to  our  enemies,  that  this  battle  is  the 


SPECIAL.  31 

Lord's,  that  the  Lord  God  of  hosts  is  on  our 
sjde,  and  fighteth  for  us,  and  that  thou  art 
pur  Saviour  and  mighty  deliverer. 

We  have  no  might,- O  Lord,  against  this 
great  company  who  *come  up  against  us, 
neither  know  we  what  to  do,  hut  our  eyes 
are  upon  thee.  Lord,  it  is  nothing  with  thee 
to  help  with  many,  or  with  them  that  have  no 
power,  for  the  battle  is  not  to  the  strong, 
neither  is  it  b}'  might  nor  by  power.  With 
thee,  O  Lord,  is  wisdom  and  strength.  Thou 
hast  power  to  exalt,  and  to  cast  down. 
Thine,  O  Lord,  is  the  greatness  and  the  vic- 
tory. O  Lord  our  God,  go  with  us,  and  lead 
us  up  against  our  enemies,  and  save  us.  In- 
spire our  generals  with  wisdom,  and  power, 
and  strategy,  and  skill,  and  cover  their  heads 
in  the  hour  of  battle,  and  let  no  weapon 
aimed  against  them  prosper.  Imbue  the 
minds  of  all  our  officers  and  soldiers  with 
confidence  in  thee,  and  in  each  other;  with 
calmness,  coolness,  valor,  and  heroic  devo- 
tion; and  crown  our  contest  with  victory. 

And  now,  0  God  our  Saviour,  into  thy 
hands  we  commit  each  other,  not  knowing 
wdiat  shall  befall  us;  but  being  joyfully  as- 
sured that  with  thee  are  the  issues  of  life 
and  death;  that  thou  hast  the  keys  of  death 


6l  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

.and  the  <^ravc;  and  that  as  thou  appointest 
for  each  one  of  U8  the  time,  and  place,  and 
manner  of  our  death,  thou  art  able  to  keep 
all  that  we  now  cast  apon  thy  merciful  prov- 
idence,-so  that  if  we  live  we  may  live  unro 
the  Lord,  and  if  we  die  we  may  die  unto  the 
Lord,  that  whether  living  or  dying  we' may 
be  the  Lord's. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  etc. 

No.  11. 

*   A  Prayer  and  Thanksgiving  for  Victory. 

A  LMIGHTY,  everlasting,  and  ever  blessed 
i\_  God,  who  is  a  God,  like  unto  thee,  glori- 
ous in  holiness,  fearful  in  praises,  a  God  who 
doest  wonders  y  Thou  rulest  the  raging  of 
the  sea  and  the  tumult  of  the  people;  when 
the  waves  thereof  arise  thou  stillest  themi 
Thou  hast  discomfited  and  driven  back  for 
us  the  gathered  hosts  of  our  enemies.  Thou 
hast  scattered  them  with  thy  strong  arm. 
The  stout  hearted  are  broken  in  pieces  as  a 
potter's  vessel.  At  thy  reb'uke,  O  God,  they 
fled,  and  the  chief  captains  and  the  mighty 
men  of  valor  have  slept  their  last  sleep.    This 


SPECIAL.  33 

is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvellous  in 
our  ej'es.  We  would  now  stand  still,  and 
see  the  salvation  of  God.  With  wonder,, 
gratitude,  and  praise  ^ye  exclaim,  what  hath 
God  wrought !  Not  unto  us,  O  God,  not 
unto  us,  but  uiito  thy  ^reat  name,  be  all 
the  glory.  Thine  own  right  hand  and  thy 
holy  arm  have  gotten  us  this  victory. 

We  bless  thee,  O  God,  for  our  able  gen- 
erals, gallant  officers,  and  heroic  soldiers. 
But  it  has  not  been  by  the  skill  of  our 
generals,  nor  by  the  intrepidity  of  our  offi- 
cers, nor  by  the  multitude  of  our  mighty 
men  of  valor  we  have  been  saved.  If  it  had 
not  been  that  thou,  O  Lord,  wast  on  our 
side  to  fight  for  us,  and  to  break  the  bow, 
the  shield,  the  sword,  and  the  battle,  we  may 
now  well  say  that  when  the  hosts  of  our  ene- 
mies rose  up  against  us  and  compassed  us 
about  like  bees,  then  had  they  swallowed  us 
up  quick,  when  their  \v^rath  against  us  was 
kindled  ;  then  the  waters  had  overwhelmed 
us,  the  stream  had  gone  over  our  souls. 
Blessed  be  the  Lord,  who  has  not  given  us 
as  a  prey  unto  their  teeth.  Our  soul  is  es- 
caped as  a  bird  out  of  the  snare  of  the  fowl- 
er. The  snare  is  broken,  and  we  are  es- 
caped. Our  help  was  in  thy  name,  O  Lord, 
3 


84  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

who  HKule  heaven  and  eartli.  Praise  wait- 
cth  for  thee,  O  (lod,  in  Zion.  AVe  would 
think  of  thy  h)ving  kindness  in  the  midst 
of  thy  temple.  Safety  cometh  from  thee, 
O  Lord.  Thou  wast  our  shield  and  buckler. 
Thou,  i)  Lord,  did.4t  preserve  us  from  fear, 
so  that  we  were  not  terrified  because  of 
them.  ^  Tiiou  didst  turn  the  ]ierilous  edge 
of  battle,  riding  upon  its  wliirlwind,  and 
directing  its  storm.  Thou  hast  broken  forth 
upon  our  enemies  as  a  breach  of  waters. 
Thou  hast  avenged  us,  and  brought  the  peo- 
ple under  us.  May  all  thy  people  know  that 
this  battle  was  the  Lord's,  who  has  given  it 
into  our  hands,  for  thou,  O  God,  hast  power 
to  help  and  to  cast  down.  Blessed  be  the 
Lord,  W'ho  has  had  mercy  upon  us,  and 
saved  us,  not  by  sword,  nor  b}^  battle,  nor 
by  horses,  nor  b}^  horsemen ;  but  bj'  the 
Lord,  our  God,  who  has  done  marvellous 
things.  Thine,  O  Lord,  be  the  greatness, 
and  the  power,  and  the  glor}',  and  the  vic- 
tory, and  the  majesty.  We  thank  thee,  and 
praise  thy  glorious  Name. 

But  oh,  our  good  and  gracious  God,  thou 
hast  also  called  us  to  a  deep  humiliation  and 
sorrow,  by  turning  our  victory  into  mourning 
for  the  many  brave  and  good  men   through 


SPECIAL.  85 

whose  heroic  deaths  Thou  hast  given  it  to  u^. 
We  would  thaivk  thee  for  all  in  them  that 
was  lofty  and  honorable  in  character  and 
conduct;  for  that  self-sacrificing  devotion 
which  made  them  fearless  of  danger,  faith- 
ful unto  death,  and  willing,  by  their  deaths, 
to  secure  the  independence  and  glory  of  their 
country.  We  thank  thee  for  the  noble  exam- 
ple of  their  lives,  and  their  ilhistrious  tes- 
timony to  the  righteousness  of  our  cause, 
which  they  have  sealed  with  their  blood. 
May  their  names  be  held  in  everlastijng  re- 
membrance by  a  grateful  country,  and  grace 
with  honor  their  remotest  posterity.  Sustain 
the  hearts  of  their  bereaved  widows  and  or- 
phans, and  provide  for,  protect,  and  bless 
them  through  life,  and  in  death. 

Let  thy  merciful  compassions,  O  Lord 
God,  be  extended  to  our  wounded  comrades. 
Sustain  them  in  the  endurance  of  their  ago- 
nizing pains  of  body  and  affliction  of  soul. 
Inspire  them  with  patient  resignation  to  thy 
holy  will,  and  impart  to  them  the  consola- 
tions of  th}^  gracious  presence.  May  they 
rejoice  in  being  counted  worthy  to  suffer  in 
a  cause  so  sacred  and  lofty.  May  their 
spared  lives  lead  them  to  repentance  and 
reconciliation    with     thee,    through    Jesus 


ob  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

Christ  our  Lord ;  and  may  they  yet  live  to 
do  battle  for  their  endangered  country,  and 
to  enjoy  the  rewards  of  a  peaceful  and  pros- 
]>erous  future,  and  the  blissful  hope  of  evei*- 
lastino;  life. 

Take  under  tli}^  most  tender  and  compas- 
sionate care  those  whose  wounds  arc  mortal, 
and  whom  thou  iiast  appointed  to  die.  Dis- 
arm death  of  its  sting,  and  the  grave  of  its 
victory.  In  the  midst  of  their  torturing 
pain,  and  sinking  spirits,  and  dying  strife, 
may  Thy  consoLations  delight  their  souls. 
Visit  them  with  thy  salvation.  Oh,  hoi}' 
Saviour,  give  them  thy  peace.  Send  them 
thy  blessed  Comfortei*.  Make  thy  grace  suf- 
ficient for  them.  Lift  their  hearts  to  thee, 
and  to  heavenly  joys.  Deliver  them  from 
all  fears  and  doubts.  Sustain  and  cheer 
them  when  entering  into  the  dark  valley  of 
the  shadow  of  death.  Give  them  victory 
beyond  the  grave,  and  a  crown  of  glory 
that  fadcth  not  away. 

And  now  unto  (Jod's  gracious  mercy  and 
protection  we  commit  ourselves.  The  Lord 
bless  us,  and  keep  us.  The  Lord  make  his 
face  to  shine  upon  us,  and  be  gracious  unto 
us.  The  Lord  lift  up  his  countenance  upon 
us,  and  give  us  peace  both  now  and  for  ever- 


SrECIAL.  6 1 

more.  Amen.  To  thee,  therefore,  our  dear 
Father,  oiir  Creator,  Protector,  Governor, 
and  Defender,  and  to  thy  beloved  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  our  only  Prince,  Redeemer,  Justifier, 
and  Intercessor,  and  to  thy  Holy  Spirit,  our 
Sanctifier,  Instructor,  and  Comforter,  be  all 
dominion,  power,  and  glory,  for  ever  and 
over.     Amen. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 

No.  III. 

Prayer  and  Confession  after  a  Repulse  or 
Defeat. 

ALMIGHTY  and  most  merciful  God,  our 
Heavenly  Father,  the  protector  of  all 
who  put  their  trust  in  thee,  and  the  refuge 
of  all  who  fly  unto  thee,  and  a  ver}^  present 
help  in  time  of  need  to  all  who  call  upon 
thee,  thou  seest  us  prostrate  in  thy  presence 
to  do  homage  to  th}^  supreme  majesty;  to 
confess  our  sins  to  thee,  and  to  cast  upon 
thee  our  burden  of  grief.  Did  we  follow  the 
present  emotions  of  our  own  hearts,  we 
would  not  presume  to  approach  thee,  but 
would  fly  from  thy  presence.     But,  0  Lord, 


38  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

thoiigli  our  sins  and  miseries  oppress  us,  thy 
mercies  lift  us  up.  We  lay  hold  of  thy  sweet 
and  soothing  promises,  which  are  all  yea  and 
amen  in  ('hrist  Jesus,  and  secured  to  us  by 
thine  immutable  covenant  and  unchangeable 
perfections.  .Thou  art  a  God  merciful  and 
gracious,  slow  to  anger,  and  abundant  in 
goodness;  forgiving  sin  and  imputing  not  in- 
iquity, compassioiiatel}'  receiving  thy  back- 
sliding childi'cn  who  return  unto  thee  Mnth 
penitent  and  contrite  hearts,  and  exercising 
toward  them  yearning  sympath}^,  even  when 
thou  chastenest  them  for  their  good.  En- 
coui-aged  by  such  luerciful  assurances,  our 
trembling  hearts,  full  of  fears  and  cast  down 
and  disquieted  within  us,  are  inspired  with 
ardent  hopes  that  thou  wilt  grant  us  the 
present  aid  of  thy  po>vcrful  providence  and 
illimitable  grace. 

We  have  dlicays,  O  Lord,  need  of  thy  com- 
forting, sustaining,  and  directing  presence; 
but  now  we  are  in  circumstances  of  such 
deep  calamity  and  distress  that  thou  alone 
canst  direct  and  defend  us.  Thou  hast  put 
us  to  shame  before  our  enemies.  Thou  hast 
deeply  humbled  our  pride,  and  disappointed 
our  hopes,  and  mortified  our  ambition.  Thou 
hast    not    gone    u]>    with    our   armies.     We 


SPECIAL.  39 

thought,  0  Lord,  thou  wert  with  us  as  at 
other  times,  and  knew  not  that  the  Lord  had 
departed  from  us.  But  thou  hast  discomfited 
us  before  the  encm}^  and  turned  us  back, 
and  smitten  us.  We  acknowledge,  O  Lord, 
tliy  holy,  wise,  and  pow^erful  providence  in 
our  calamity.  Thou  hast  brought  this  evil 
upon  us,  and  it  is  by  thee  we  have  been 
stricken  and  afflicted.  For  all  things  come 
alike  from  thee,  and  thou  hast  taught  us  that 
no  affliction  springeth  irom  the  dust,  neither 
Cometh  by  chance,  and  that  there  can  be  no 
evil  in  a  city  which  thou  hast  not  done. 

Thpu,  O  Ijord,  hast  brought  this  evil  upon 
us  because  we  have  sinned  against  thee  and 
provoked  thee  to  enter  into  judgment  with 
us.  Fatlier,  we  have  sinned  against  heaven 
and  in  thy  sight.  Our  own  hearts  condemn 
us,  and  thou,  O  Lord,  art  greater  than  our 
hearts,  and  knowest  all  things.  Our  daily 
lives,  and  words,  and  actions  testify  against 
us  and  condemn  us.  We  have  sinned  with 
our  lips,  and  our  tongues  have  uttered  un- 
godly speeches  against  thee.  Out  of  our 
licarts  have  proceeded  evil  thoughts,  fornica- 
tion, adultery,  and  impurity.  We  are  selfish, 
sensual,  and  unholy.  Pride  has  compassed 
us  about  as  with  a  chain.     We  have  uttered 


40  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 

L;-reat  swelling  words  of  vanity,  saying,  who 
is  the  Lord  that  he  should  reign  over  us. 
We  have  lived  as  if  we  were  our  own,  and 
not  as  those  who  have  been  created,  an"d 
redeemed  by  thee.  AVe  have  forsaken  and 
forgotten  thee,  and  lived  without  God  and 
without  hope  in  the  world.  We  have  set  at 
naught  th}'  word  and  eommandnients,  neg- 
lected thy  great  salvation,  left  unread  thy 
holy  book,  dishonored  thy  holy  Sabbaths, 
profaned  thy  divine  and  awful  name,  trifled 
with  the  salvation  of  our  souls,  refused  to 
hear,  to  obey,  and  to  believe  upon  thy  Son, 
our  blessed  Loj-d  and  Saviour,  and  have 
withheld  from  him  our  hearts,  and  the  open 
confession  of  our  mouths,  and  the  living 
sacrifice  of  obedient  lives.  We  have  grieved 
the  Holy  S])ii-it  of  promise,  and  resisted  all 
his  gracious  influences  working  in  us  to  will 
and  do  of  thy  good  pleasure.  We  have 
trusted  in  our  own  wisdom,  and  might,  and 
braver}',  and  boasted  of  our  skill  and  su- 
periorit}',  and  glorified  in  our  leaders  and 
armies,  and  have  said  that  by  our  own  hands 
we  have  gotten  us  our  victories.  We  have 
foi'gotten,  O  G:.d,  thy  manifold  mercies  in 
tlie  preservation  of  our  lives,  the  healing  of 
our  diseases,  the  deliverances  of  our  armies, 


SPECIAL.  41 

and  defeats  of  our  enemies,  in  tlie  supply  of 
our  daily  wants,  and  the  protection  thrown 
aro^ind  our  generals,  officers,  and  soldiers 
amid  the  diseases  of  the  camp  and  the  dan- 
gers of  battle.  We  have  murmured  and 
complained  against  thee  on  account  of  our 
trials,  and  forgotten  all  thy  benefits  with 
which  thou  hast  daily  enriched  us.  We  have 
restrained  prayer  before  God,  and  have  not 
called  upon  thee  in  sincerity  and  truth,  but 
luive  moci\ed  thee  with  words  of  prayer, 
^vhile  our  hearts  were  far  from  thee.  For 
these,  and  innumerable  other  sins  with  which 
wo  and  our  people  have  sinned  against  thee, 
O  G-od,  thou  hast  righteously  entered  into 
judgment  with  us,  and  mightest  justly  cast 
us  off  for  ever  and  give  us  up  as  a  prey  to 
our  enemies. 

"^But,  O  merciful  God  and  Saviour,  though 
wo  have  thus  grievously  provoked  thee  to 
anger  and  moved  thee  to  jealousy,  be  not 
very  wroth  with  us,  and  retain  not  thine 
anger  against  us.  Pardon  our  iniquities, 
for  thy  Name's  sake,  for  they  are  great. 
Reconcile  us  unto  thyself  through  Christ 
our  Saviour,  that  we  may  have  peace  with 
thee.  Forsake  not  thy  sanctuaries,  and  for- 
get not  thy  covenant.   Give  not  our  glory  to 


42  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

our  enemies,  even  the  inheritance  which  thy 
riglit  hand  purchased,  which  thou  didst  g-ive 
to  our  fathers  after. driving  out  the  heathen 
hefore  them,  and  in  which  thou  didst  make 
them  to  dwell  safely,  so  that  they  feared 
not.  Keturn,  therefore,  O  Lord,  and  let  it 
repent  tl^ee  concirning  th}'  servants.  O  re- 
memher  not  against  us  former  iniquities,  but 
let  thy  tender  mei'cies  speedily  restore  us, 
for  we  are  brouglit  very  low.  Help  us,  0 
Lord,  for  the  glory  of  fchy  name,  and  turn 
us,  O  God  of  our  salvation,  and  cause  thine 
anger  toward  us  to  cease.  Forgive  the  iniq- 
uity of  our  people,  and  cover  all  their  sins. 
Hevive  us  again,  that  thy  people  may  re- 
joice. 

God  of  our  fathers,  and  God  of  battles, 
hear  these  warriors  who  now  call  upon  thee. 
Answer  us  from  thy  secret  place  of  thunder. 
Keep  npt  silence,  O  God.  Hold  not  thy 
})eace.  Our  enemies,  with  one  consent,  have 
taken  crafty  counsel  against  thy  people  and 
are  confederate  against  them,  saying,  Come, 
let  us  cut  them  ort'  from  being  a  nation,  that 
the  name  of  the  Confederate  States  may  be 
no  more  in  remembrance.  O  God,  in  whom, 
though  thou  slayest  us,  we  will  still  trust, 
thou   standest  in    the    congregation  of  the 


SPECIAL.  4o 

might}'  and  jiidgest  among  tlicni  wlio  think 
they  are  gods.  Arise,  O  God,  and  judge 
them,  that  they  may  kno\v  that  Thou  whose 
name  alone  is  Jehovah  art  the  most  high 
over  all  the  earth.  Be  thou  known  a?nong 
them  and  in  our  sight,  by  revenging  the 
blood  of  thy  servants  which  they  have  shed 
like  water.  Pour  out  upon  them  thy  wrath, 
for  tliey  have  devoured  our  substance,  and 
laid  waste  our  dwelling  places,  and  burned 
thy  churches,  and  ravaged  our  cities,  and 
outraged  our  women,  and  blasphemously  set 
at  naught  all  laws,  human  and  divine.  O 
thou  Supreme  Judge  and  Kulerof  the  earth, 
let  these  crimes,  and  the  cries  of  mothers, 
wives,  and  daughtei'S,  and  of  helpless  widows 
and  orphans  come  up  before  thee,  and  do 
thou  avenge  us  speedily.  Defend  the  poor 
and  fatherless.  Do  justice  to  the  afflicted 
and  needy.  Let  the  sighing  of  the  prisoner 
come  before  thee.  According  to  the  great- 
ness of  thy  power  and  mercy  preserve  thou 
those  that  are  appointed  to  die.  Eender 
unto  our  enemies  sevenfold  into  their  own 
bosom.  Persecute  them  with  thy  ten\pest, 
and  make  them  afraid  with  thj^  storm,  and 
may  the  angel  of  death  destroy  them.  Fill 
their  faces  with  shame,  that  they  may  seek 


44  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

thy  name,  O  Lord,  and  repent  and  be  saved, 
lest  they  be  confounded  and  troubled  for 
ever,  and  perish  with  all  thine  enemies,  O 
Lord. 

Quicken  Thou  us,  so  will  not  we  .go  back 
from  thcc,  and  we  will  call  upon  thy  name. 
Turn  us  again,  O  Lord  of  hosts,  and  cause 
thy  face  to  shine  upon  us,  and  give  us 
strength  for  battle  and  confidence,  because 
of  thy  presence  with  us,  and  approval  of  us 
and  of  our  righteous  cause,  and  we  shall  yet 
be  saved. 

So  we,  thy  people,  and  sheep  of  thy  pas- 
ture, will  give  thee  thanks  for  ever.  We  will 
show  fortli  thy  praise  to  all  generations. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 

No.  IV. 

For  a  Day  of  Thanksgiving. 

ri^HINE,  O  Lord,  is  the  greatness,  and  the 
X  power,  and  the  glor3^  and  the  victory, 
and  the  majesty,  for  all  that  is  in  the  heaven 
and  the  earth  is  thine.  Boti»  riches  and 
honor  come  of  thee,  and  thqu  reign  est  over 
all,  and  in  thine  hand  are  power  and  might, 
aud  in  thine  hand  it' is  to  make  great,  and 


SrKCIAL.  4;) 

to  give  sti-eiiirth  unto  all.  Thou,  O  Lonl, 
art  our  Father  and  our  Kedceiuer.  We 
thank  thee,  and  praise  thy  glorious  name, 
which  is  exalted  above  all  blessing  and 
power.  O  God,  thou  art  our  God,  and  wo 
will  praise  thee,  our  fathers'  God,  and  wv> 
will  exalt  thee. 

Blessed  be  thy  great  and  glorious  name 
who  hast  done  so  great  things  for  us,  where- 
of we  are  glad.  We  rejoice  in  thy  judg- 
ments, O  God.  We  come  into  thy  presence 
with  thanksgiving,  and  make  a  joyful  noise 
unto  thee  with  psalms.  We  are  thankful 
unto  thee,  and  bless  thy  name.  Thou,  O 
Lord,  art  our  rock,  and  our  fortress,  and  olir 
deliverer.  When  the  pains  of  death  com- 
passed us  and  the  floods  of  ungodly  men 
made  us  afraid,  in  our  distress  we  called  upon 
thee,  and  thou  didst  hear  our  voice  out  of 
thy  temple.  Thou  didst  send  from  heaven 
and  draw  us  out  of  many  waters,  from  the 
power  of  our  strong  enemies  and  from  them 
that  hated  us.  Thou  hast  girded  us  with 
strength  to  battle,  and  hast  subdued  under  us 
them  that  rose  up  against  us,  and  broken 
their  bands  asunder.  Let  the  heavens  re- 
joice and  let  the  earth  be  glad,  and  let  men 
say  the  Lord  reigneth.     Unto  thee,  O  Lord, 


46  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

we  would  give  the  glory  due  unto  thy  name. 
We  would  bring  iih  offering,  and  wcii-ship 
and  bow  down  before  thee  in  the  beauty  of 
thine  holiness. 

How  wonderful  have  been  thy  works  to- 
ward us  as  a  people,  O  Lord.  Truly  may  it 
be  said  of  us  that  as  a  nation  we  were  born 
in  a  day.  Thou  hast  not  done  such  great 
things  for  any  people  under  the  whole  heav- 
ens as  thou  hast  done  for  us.  We  adore  thy 
holy,  wise,  and  powerful  providence,  which 
for  so  many  years,  and  in  such  inscrutable 
ways,  has  led  to  the  division  of  this  great 
country,  so  as  to  sever  us  from  a  IJnion 
which  was  in  its  origin  unnatural  and  im- 
politic,, and  in  its  experience  disastrous  to 
every  object  contemplated  by  it,  and  to 
ever}^  interest  of  these  Southern  states,  and 
perverted  to  sectional  injustice,  usurpation, 
and  tyranny,  and  to  a  fanatical  and  irre- 
pressible conflict  with  the  institutions,  prop- 
erty, peace,  and  good  name  of  the  South. 
We  adore,  0"(iod,  that  mighty,  though  in- 
visible power  by  which  thou  didst  infatuate 
our  enemies  to  prosecute  this  wai*  against  us; 
which  united  the  people  of  our  Southern  i 
states  with  such  marvellous  harmony,  un 
der  a  constitution  recognizing  Thy  suprem 


SPECIAL.  4/ 

acy,  and  framed  with  humble  prayer  for  thy 
guidance,  and  in  confident  reliance  u])on  thy 
protecting  care;  which  has  preserved  us  from 
all  discord  and  division  ;  which  has  crowned 
our  arms  with  such  illustrious  victories; 
which  has  sustained  and  encouraged  us  in 
times  of  disaster,  and  under  all  the  inhu- 
manities of  our  merciless  foes ;  whicli  has 
crayvned  the  year  with  thy  goodness,  and 
supplied  the  necessities  of  man  and  beast; 
which  has  given  us  fame  and  favor  among 
the  nations;  which  has  preserved  our  slaves 
in  loyalty  and  industrious  quietness;  which 
has  made  us  mighty  to  resist  the  utmost 
power  and  gigantic  resources  of  our  ene- 
mies; which  has  more  and  more  melted  us 
a  people  into  one  concentrated  mass  of  liv- 
ing valor  and  patriotic  endurance,  while  our 
enemies  have  been  divided  and  distracted; 
and  which  is  now  inspiring  us  with  the  as- 
surance of  success,  and  the  animating  hope 
of  a  peaceful,  propitious,  and  honorable  in- 
dependence. We  would  in  a  special  manner 
thank  thee,  O  Father  of  mercies,  for  those 
recent  events,  etc.     \^Here  enumerate.'] 

And  now,  O  Lord,  our  good  and  gracious 
God,  continue  with  us.  Abide  among  us. 
Go  up  with  us  and  with  our  armies,  and  fight 


48  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

tor  US,  that  all  may  know  that  thou  art 
with  us;  that  tliis  battle  is  the  Lord's,  and 
that  our  cause  is  of  God,  and  must  prevail. 
Strengthen,  therefore,  the  things  which  thou 
hast  already  wrought  for  us  and  by  us. 
Give  ear,  O  Shepherd  of  Israel;  thou  that 
dwellest  between  the  cherubim,  shine  Ibrth. 
Stir  up  thy  strength,  and  come  and  save 
us.  O  Lord,  our  God,  how  long  wilt  thouJ)e 
angr}'  against  the  prayer  of  thy  people. 
Turn  us  again,  O  God  of  Hosts,  and  cause 
th}'  face  to  shine  and  we  shall  be  saved. 

We  bless  thee,  O  Lord,  who  dividest  the 
nations  their  inheritance,  and  settest  the 
bounds  of  the  people,  that  thou  hast  ])lanted 
us  in  a  very  Iruitful  field,. and  hast  notmade 
the  wilderness  our  habitation,  nor  the  barren 
land  our  dwelling.  Lord,  thou  hast  dealt 
favorably  with  our  land,  and  made  it  to  yield 
its  increase  and  bring  forth  abundantly,  both 
for  the  clothing  and  the  food  of  man.  Thou 
hast  given  us  a  pleasant  land — Emmanuel's 
land.  Thou  hast  set  up  thy  tabernacle 
among  us,  and  thy  sanctuaries  are  in  the 
midst  of  us,  and  because  thou  hast  loved  our 
people,  therefore  thou  hast  set  a  good  gov- 
ernment over  us:  to  insure  domestic  tran- 
quillity  and    provide    for   the   common    de- 


SPECIAL.  49 

fence;  to  promote  the  general  welfare  and 
secure  the  blessings  of  liberty  to  ourselves* 
and  our  posterity.     We  have  heard,  O  Lord, 
with  our  ears,  and  our  fathers  have  told  us 
what  thou   didst   for  them    in    their  days; 
and  as  we  have  hearfl,  so  have  we  seen  their 
glory  made  to  appear  unto  their  children. 
And    now,    as    we  think  of  all    thy   loving 
kindness  in  the  midst  of  thy  temple,  let  our 
'thanksgiving  and  prayer  come  up  with  ac- 
ceptance before  thee.     May  thy  answer  in 
our  hearts  cheer  us,  and  thy  presence  em- 
bolden, and  thy  providence  uplift  us.     Fill 
our  hearts  with  the  glow  of  Hying  patriot- 
irsm,   and    nerve    them    with   fortitude,  and 
!   valor  in  enduring,  daring,  and  doing  all  that 
,    is  needful  to    successful    resistance    and    to 
I   triumphant  peace.    Establish  thou  the  work 
j   of  our  hands;  yea,  the  work  of  our  hands 
establish  thou  it. 

Based  upon  justice,  truth,  and  equity,  im- 
bued with  the  spirit  of  honor,  good  will,  and 
magnanimity,  and  guided  by  thy  word,  will, 
and  providence,  may  our  country  be  exalted 
more  and  more  in  name  and  in  honor  among 
the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  established  as 
a  hoi}"  people  unto  thyself  May  she  be 
blessed  by  thee  in  the  city  and  in  the  field ; 
4 


50  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

ill  the  fruit  of  her  body  a»d  the  fruit  of  her 
''ground  ;  in  the*  fruit  of  her  cattle,  increase 
of  kine,  and  flocks  of  sheep;  in  her  basket 
and  in  her  store;  in  her  agriculture,  her 
commerce,  and  her  manufactures;  in  science, 
learning,  and  piety;  in  statesmanship  and 
public  faith. 

Let  the  wickedness  of  the  wicked  come 
to  an  end,  but  establish  thou  the  just,  O 
righteous  God.  Inspire  many  to  stand  up 
for  thee  against  the  workers  of  iniquity,  and 
for  the  truth,  purity,  and  power  of  thy  glo- 
rious gospel.  Counsel  our  counsellors,  and 
give  our  senators  wisdom,  that  the  things 
which  belong  to  a  nation's  peace  and  pros- 
perity may  not  be  hid  from  a  nation's  coun- 
sels. May  our  rulers  be  just,  ruling  in  the 
fear  of  God.  May  our  judges  remember  that 
they  judge  not  for  men  but  for  the  Lord, 
who  is  with  them  in  judgment,  that  the  fear 
of  the  Lord  may  be  upon  them.  Make  all 
in  authority  over  us  a»ble  men,  men  of  truth, 
fearing  God  and  hating  covctousness,  that 
they  may  defend  the  poor  and  fatherless,  do 
justice  to  the  afflicted  and  needy,  and  vindi- 
cate the  oppressed. 

Bless,  O  Lord,  our  soldiers  who  jeopard 
their  lives  in  the  high  places   of  the  field. 


SPECIAL.  51, 

Give  thorn  the  shield  of  thy  salvation.  Let 
thy  right  hand  hold  them  up,  and  cover 
their  heads  in  the  day  of  battle.  Through 
thee  ma}^  they  do  valiantly.  Yea,  let  God 
himself  tread  down  our  enemies.  As  they 
have  taken  the  sword  let  them  perish  by  the 
sword.  Give  them  as  dust  to  our  sword, 
and  as  stubble  to  our  bow.  Let  us  be  a 
people  saved  by  the  Lord,  as  the  shield  of 
our  help  and  the  sword  of  our  excellency; 
and  make  our  enemies  sensible  that  the  Lord 
of  Hosts  is  with  us,  and  fighteth  for  us 
against  them. 

Preserve  the  life  and  health  of  our  Presi- 
dent and  generals,  for  whom  we  thank  thtee, 
and  for  whom  we  supplicate  thy  continued 
blessing;  that,  endued  with  all  wisdom,  skill, 
and  power,  they  may  become  our  deliverers. 
Give  unit}',  efficienc}-,  and  all  needful  grace 
and  guidance  to  our  officers,  and  the  spirit 
of  obedience,  'alacrity,  and  devotion  to  our 
soldiers.  Keep  them  in  good  health,  heart, 
and  hope,  and  comfort  them  under  all  their 
hardships.  Eestore  the  strength  of  the 
wounded  and  sick.  Prepare  the  living  for 
dying,  and  the  dying  for  the  death  of  the 
righteous,  and  recompense  them  all  for  their 
heroic   sacrifices    and   sufferings,    with   thy 


OJ  .SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

favor  and  the  everlasting  gratitude  of  tlieir 
redeemed  and  regenerated  countr3\ 

Pitifully  compassionate  the  misery  of  them 
that  are  in  captivity.  Let  the  sighing  of 
the  prisoner  come  before  thee.  Give  them 
grace,  though  bound  in  affliction  and  iron, 
to  cry  unto  thee  in  their  trouble,  and  to 
humble  themselves,  and  pray,  and  seek  thy 
face,  so  that  even  in  the  innermost  prison 
they  may  sing  praises  unto  God.  Be  with 
them  as  with  Joseph,  and  show  them  mercy, 
and  grant  them  thy  salvation.  Strengthen 
their  faith  and  patience  in  suifcring.  that 
they  may  both  hope  and  quietly  wait  until 
thou  shalt  open  their  prison  doors,  and  set 
them  in  safety"  into  a  large  place. 

May  the  time  speedily  come  when  our 
enemies  shall  be  at  peace,  with  us;  when 
thou  wilt  break  the  bow,  and  the  sword,  and 
the  battle;  when  thy  people  shall  be  no 
more  terrified  by  rude  alarms  of  raging 
foes;  when  thou  wilt  make  this  war  to  cease, 
and  ordain  peace  for*  us;  and  our  people 
shall  learn  war  no  more.  O  Thou  that  savest 
by  thy  right  hand  them  that  put  their  trust 
in  thee  from  those  that  rise  up  against  them, 
show  us  th}^  marvellous  loving  kindness,  and 
hide  us   under   the   shadow  of  thy   wings. 


SPECIAL.  oo 

Thou  who  liast  delivered — doth  deliver — we 
trust  and  pray,  wilt  yet  deliver  us  from  all 
our  fears,  that  we  may  dwell  safely  under 
our  own  vine  and  tig  tree,  none  daring  to 
make  us  afraid. 

The  God  of  peace  accept  our  thanks,  and( 
hear  our  prayers,  and  grant  unto  us  the 
things  we  have  requested  of  him,  and  cause 
his  face  to  shine  upon  us  for  the  Lord's 
sake,  who  is  the  son  of  his  love;  and  unto 
God,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  be  glory 
as  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever 
shall  be,  world  without  end.     Amen. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 

No.  Y. 

For  a  Day  of  Humiliation,  FaMing,  and 

Prayer. 

ALMIGHTY  and  most  merciful  God,  who 
art  the  Rock  of  our  Salvation,  our 
refuge  and  dcfenge,  the  hope  of  Israel  and 
the  Saviour  thereof  in  the  time  of  trouble, 
regard  in  tender  compassion  the  supplica- 
tions of  thy  servants  who  now  approach 
thee  in  the  name  of  thy  dear  Son,  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.    In  unison  with  thy  people 


54  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 

throughout  our  land,  wc  now  luirably  ap- 
proach thoe.  the  great  and  terrible  God,  to 
whom  belongctli  vengeance.  Thy  judgments 
are  abroad  among  us.  We  are  brought  very 
low.  The  whole  land  mourneth  because  of 
#the  oppressions  of  the  enemy.  Our  cities 
are  destroyed,  our  sanctuaries  are  desolate, 
our  homes  are  ravaged,  and  our  fields  laid 
waste.  Our  people  are  scattered  ^nd  peeled, 
suffering  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  enduring 
persecution,  privation,  and  manifold  calami- 
ties. O  Lord,  thou  hast  shown  thy  people 
hard  things,  and  made  us  to  drink  the  wine 
of  astonishment.  Because  of  our  sins  thou 
hast  brought  all  these  evils  upon  us,  and 
given  our  enemies  power  to  inflict  upon  us 
indescribable  misery  and  irreparable  Avrongs. 
And  yet,  O  Lord  (iod,  to  whom  can  we  fl}^ 
for  succor  but  unto  thee,  who  hast  stricken 
and  afflicted  us '/  O  Lord,  righteousness 
belongeth  unto  thee.  Unto  thee,  O  Lord 
God,  belongeth  also  mercies  and  forgive- 
nesses, though  we  have  rebelled  against  thee. 
Thou  keepest  covenant  with  them  that  love 
thee,  and  changest  not.  If  thy  children 
forsake  thy  laws  and  walk  not  in.  thy  judg- 
ments, then  thou  dost  visit  their  trans- 
gression with   the  rod,  and    their    iniquity 


SPECIAL.  55 

with  stripes,  x^erertheless,  thj"  loving  kind- 
ness thou  wilt  not  utterly  take  from  them, 
nor  suffer  thy  fiiithfulness  to  fail.  Be  it 
unto  us  now,  O  Lord,  according  to  these 
words  in  which  thou  hast  caused  us  to  hope. 
Be  favorable  unto  thy  land.  Forgive  the 
iniquity  of  thy  people,  and  cover  all  our 
sins.  Turn  us,  O  God  of  our  salvation,  and 
cause  thine  anger  toward  us  to  cease.  Re- 
vive us  again,  that  thy  people  may  rejoice 
in  thee.  Show  us  thy  merc}'',  and  grant  us 
thy  salvation.  Wilt  not  thou,  O  God,  who 
hast  cast  us  off,  and  who  hast  not  gone  out 
with  our  armies  as  heretofore,  speak  p- ace 
unto  thy  people,  and  .  give  us  help  .frofn 
trouble  ?  for  vain  is  the  help  of  man. 

We  confess  that  we,  our  r^ylers,  and  oui' 
fathers  have  sinned  against  thee.  We 
have  done  wickedly,  and  have  rebelled,  even 
by  departing  from  thy  precepts  and  from 
thy  judgments.  JSTeither  have  we  obeyed 
the"  voice  of  the  Lord  our  God,  to  walk  in 
his  laws  which  he  set  before  us  by  his  ser- 
vants. We  confess  and  bewail  before  thee, 
O  God,  that  pride,  prodigality,  worldliness, 
and  covetousness  which  is  idolatry  in  thy 
sight ;  that  profanity  of  thy  holy  name  and 
Sabbaths;  that  drunkenness,  gambling,  and 


56  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

licentiousness ;  that  irreli^on,  infidelity,  and 
ntter  iffeglect  of  thy  Word,  of  Christ,  and  of 
the  great  salvation;  and  that  spirit  of  boast- 
ing and  self-confident  glorying,  which,  to  so 
alarming  an  extent,  prevail  among  us.  We 
have  slighted  thy  mercies,  and  abused  thy 
grace  and  goodness  to  hardened  impeni- 
tence, so  that  because  sentence  against  sin 
Avas  not  exacted  speedily,  the  hearts  of 
TTiany  have  been  fully  set  in  tliem  to  do  evil. 
We  have  been  forgetful  of  thy  bounty,  and 
regardless  of  thine  honor.  We  have  lived 
unto  ourselves  as  if  we  were  our  own,  and 
have  not  loved  nor  served  Thee,  who  didst 
make  us  foi-  thine  honor  and  glory,  who  hast 
preserved  and  kept  us  alive,  and  hast  bought 
lis  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ.  We 
have  sinned,  O  Lord,  and  have  offended 
against  thee.  We  are  accused  by  our  own 
consciences,  and  our  lives  testif}^  against  us. 
We  are  therefore  covered  with  shame,  and 
acknowledge  that  we  are  verily  guiltj''  in 
th}'  sight.  Chastened  as  we  now  are  by 
the  strokes  of  thy  providence  [here  emimer- 
ate  the  special  gfounds  of  humiliation'],  we 
confess  that  we  have  provoked  thine  anger, 
and  although  thou  wert  to  afflict  us  with 
still    severer    judgments,  we   can   only  say 


Special.  57 

that  our  crimes  have  deserved  them  all,  and 
that  Thou  art  a  most  righteous  and  mer- 
ciful judge,  who  punishest  not  thy  people 
without  cause. 

But,  O  Lord,  thou  art  still  doubtless  our 
Father,  and  our  Eedeemer,  who  delightest 
in  mercy.  Chasten  us  not  in  fury,  but  in 
the  midst  of  judgment  remember  mercy. 
As  thou  didst  open  a  door  of  hope  and  deliv- 
erance to  thy  people  Israel,  and  to  our 
fathers  when  they  turned  unto  thee,  and 
didst  avert  thy  chastening  hand  and  the 
calamities  in  which  they  were  involved,  and 
didst  never  reject  their  praye^,  nor  utterly 
forsake  or  give  them  over  to  the  power  of 
their  enemies,  so  do  Thou  now^.  Turn  our 
hearts  unto  thee,  O  God,  in  unfeigned  faith 
and  sincere  repentance,  and  turn  Thyself 
unto  us  and  bless  us,  that  the  whole  world 
may  acknowledge  that  thou  art  God  our 
Saviour.  Thou  hast  made  with  us  an  ever- 
lasting covenant,  written  in  the  blood  and 
sealed  by  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ  our 
Saviour,  and  now,  renouncing  all  self-de- 
pendence and  all  other  grounds  of  confi- 
dence, we  fly  to  this  blessed  hope  set  befoi*e 
us.  Look,  therefore,  O  Lord,  upon  the  face 
of  thy  Christ,  and  not  upon  us,  and  for  the 


58  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

sake  of  His  infinite  merits  and  intercession, 
lot  thine  anger  be  appeased,  and  thj  face 
fihino  upon  u^.  For  His  sake  forgive  oiir- 
national,  our  family,  our  individual,  and  all 
other  our  sins  and  iniquities.  Blot  out  our 
transgressions  as  a  thick  cloud,  and  say  to 
us,  I  have  forgiven  you.  And  for  thy  name's 
sake,  O  God,  pour  out  th}-  Holy  Spirit  upon 
us  as  a  Spirit  of  repentance  and  reformation, 
and  create  within  us  new  hearts,  and  renew 
a  right  spirit  within  us. 

And  now,  0  Lord,  that  thou  hast  brought 
thy  people  forth  from  among  our  enemies 
with  a  high  hand,  and  hast  ordained  for 
them  a  government,  and  hast  preserved  and 
prospered  them,  and  blessed  their  counsels 
and  their  arms,  and  hast  gotten  thee  re- 
nown, now,  therefore,  O  our  God,  hear  the 
prayer  of  thy  servants  and  their  supplica- 
tions,  for  the  Lord's  sake.  Open  thine  e^^es 
and  behold  our  desolations,  for  we  do  not 
present  our  supplications  before  thee'for  our 
righteousness,  but  for  thy  great  mercies. 
How  long,  Lord,  shall  our  enemies  ravage 
our  inheritance  and  defile  thy  sanctuaries  ? 
Wilt  thou  be  angry  for  ever?  Shall  thy 
jealousy  burn  like  fire?  0  remember  not 
against  us  former  iniquities,  but  let  thy  ten- 


SPECIAL.  59 

der  mercies  speedily  prevent  us,  for  we  are 
brought  ver}'  low.  Help  us,  O  God  of  ou^r 
salvation,  for  the  glory  of  thy  Name,  and 
deliver  us,  and  purge  away  our  sins.  Where- 
fore should  our  enemies  say,  Where  is  their 
God  ?  Let  Him  be  known  among  these 
boastful  Philistines  by  the  revenging  of  the 
blood  of  thy  servants  which  is  shed.  And 
render  unto  our  enemies  sevenfold  into  their 
bosom  their  reproach  whei-ewith  they  have 
reproached  thee,  O  Lord.  So  w^e,  thy  peo- 
ple, and  sheep  of  thy  pasture,  will  give 
thanks  to  Thee  for  ever.  We  will  show 
forth  thy  praise  to  all  generations. 

Heavenly  Father,  for  thy  dear  Son's  sake, 
hear  these  our  prayers.  O  Lord  hear.  0 
Lord  forgive,  hearken,  and  do.  Defer  not 
for  thine  own  sake,  O  our  God,  and  for  the 
sake  of  thy  dear  Son,  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  in  whoso  most  blessed  name 
and  perfect  form  of  words  we  further  call 
upon  thee,  saving  : 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 


6©  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

No.  VI. 

For  a  Revival. 

OLOKD,  our  God  and  Heavenly  Father, 
thou  hast  taught  us  that  as  eartlily 
parents,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good 
gifts  unto  their  children,  much  more  wilt 
thou  give  thy  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
it.  O  help  us  now  so  to  ask  that  we  shall 
receive  the  communications  of  this  ever 
blessed  Advocate,  Comforter,  and  Sanctiner. 
May  he  be  given  unto  us  and  abide  with  us. 
May  he  convince  us  of  our  sin  in  rejecting 
thee  in  thy  law,  and  Christ  in  his  glorious 
gospel.  May  he  convince  us  of  the  divine 
claims  of  Christ,  and  of  his  cause  to  our  love 
and  service,  by  the  workings  of  his  mighty 
power  within  our  hearts.  May  he  convince 
us  that  we  must  all  stand  before  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  Christ,  that  we  may  receive, 
accoi'ding  to  the  deeds  done  while  in  our 
bodies,  whether  they  have  been  good,  or 
whether  they  have  been  evil.  May  he  work 
in  us  to  will  and  to  do,  in  order  that  we  may 
successfully  work  out  our  salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling,  giving  all  diligence  to  make 
our  calling  and  election  sure. 

Come,    thou     transforming     Spirit,    and 


SPECIAL.  61 

breathe  upon  our  poor,  weak,  sinful  hearts, 
which  are  like  dry  bones  in  the  valley,  very 
many  and  very  dry.  Dhad  in  trespasses  and 
sins,  may  we  be  made  alive  unto  God.  Quick- 
en us  b}'  thy  life-giving  power.  Breathe  into 
us  the  breath  of  spiritual  life.  Awaken, 
arouse,  and  revive  our  sluggish  souls.  Bring 
home  to  our  minds  the  truth  of  thy  holy 
word,  that,  being  received  into  good  and 
honest  hearts,  it  may  enlighten  our  eyes, 
make  wise  the  simple,  convert  our  souls,  and 
rejoice  our  hearts.  Make  eternal  realities 
so  to  rest  upon  us,  and  the  terrors  of  the 
Lord  so  to  alarm  us,  that  we  shall  fly  from 
the  wrath  to  come,  and  lay  hold  on  the  hope 
set  before  us,  looking  unto  Jesus  as  the 
author  and  finisher  of  faith,  and  receiving 
and  resting  upon  him  for  salvation.  May 
we  be  born  again,  and  made  new  creatures 
in  Christ  Jesus. 

O  Lord,  according  to  thy  promise,  pour 
out  thy  Holy  Spirit  upon  our  camps,  upon 
our  young  men,  and  upon  our  servants.  Ma^^ 
he  enlighten  our  understandings,  and  shed 
abroad  thy  love  in  our  hearts.  May  he 
guide  us  into  all  truth.  May  he  open  blind 
eyes  and  unstop  deaf  ears,  that  we  may  all 
be  converted  and  saved.     Grant  unto  us  the 


62  SOCIAL    rilAYEUS, 

spirit  of  grace  and  supplication.  Teach  us 
to  cry  miglitily  unto  thee,  and  to  wrestle 
with  thee,  and  not  let  thee  go  until  thou 
open  windows  of  heaven,  and  pour  us  out  a 
blessing,  so  that  we  shall  not  have  room  to 
receive  it. 

Make  this  camp  a  Bethel.  Show  us  thy 
glory  as  we  have  seen  thee  in  th^  sanctuary. 
Wilt  thou  not  review  us  again  ?  0  Lord, 
revive  thy  work;  in  the  midst  of  wrath  re- 
member mercy.  Make  thy  word  the  sword 
of  the  Spirit,  and  sharper  than  any  two- 
edged  sword,  and  powerful  in  subduing  the 
hearts  of  the  King's  enemies.  May  it  be  a 
discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of 
every  heart,  and  the  wisdom  and  power  of 
God  unto  salvation.  May  sinners  be  con- 
verted unto  God,  and  thy  disciples  be  re- 
freshed. May  their  fiiith  be  increased,  their 
courage  confirmed,  and  their  zeal  inflamed. 
May  love  to  Jesus  and  to  perishing  souls  fill 
their  hearts  with  prayer,  and  their  mouths 
with  arguments.  Make  them  wise  to  lead 
souls  to  Christ,  and  do  thou  seal  them  unto 
tlie  day  of  redemption.  Make  our  tents  vo- 
cal with  prayer  and  praise,  so  that  the  voice 
of  salvation  and  rejoicing  may  be  heard  in 
the  tabernacles  of  the  righteous.  May  there 


SPECIAL.  ^3 

be  joy  among  the  angels  of  God  over  many 
sinners  that  shall  here  repent,  and  in  the 
last  great  day,  when  God  maketh  up  his 
jewels,  may  it  be  said  of  this  and  that  man 
that. he  was  born  unto  God  here.  And,  if 
permitted  to  return  to  our  homes,  may  we 
live  spirituall}^,  and  our  souls  prosper  and 
be  in  health,  so  that  we  may  be  ever  found 
useful  members  of  thy  Church,  blessings  to 
the  community,  and  sources  of  religious  as 
well  as  temporal  benefit  to  our  families. 

Oh  that  thou  wouldst  rend  the  heavens 
and  come  down,  that  the  mountains  might 
flow  down  at  thy  presence.  Put  on  thy 
strength,  O  arm  of  the  Lord.,  Subdue  the 
people  under  thee.  Make  them  willing, in 
this  day  of  th}-  power. '  Confound  the  worlds 
of  darkness,  and  destroy  that  god  of  this 
world  who  has  blinded  the  eyes  of  sinners, 
lest  they  should  hear,  and  be  converted,  and 
be  saved.  O  Lord,  hear.  0  Lord,  forgive. 
O  Lord,  hearken  and  do.  Defer  not  for  thine 
own  sake,  0  God,  and  for  the  sake  of  thy 
Son,  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  in 
whose  most  blessed  name  and  perfect  form 
of  words  we  farther  call  upon  thee,  saying — 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 


64      "  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 

No.  YII. 
Prayer  for  our  Rulers. 

ALMIGHTY  and  everlasting  God,  thou  art 
the  governor  among  the  nations,  and 
the  ruler  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  fountain 
of  wisdom,  and  the  source  and  origin  of  all 
order  and  law,  who  ordaineth  government 
for  the  praise,  security,  and  comfort  of  those 
that  do  well,  and  as  a  terror  to  evil  doers. 
Thou  hast  made  it  our  duty  to  pray  for  all 
who  are  in  authority  over  us.  We  desire, 
therefore,  to  bring  before  thee  the  powers 
that  are  established  among  us.  We  ask  for 
them  that  wisdom  that  cometh  down  from 
above  from  the  Father  of  light,  which  is 
profitable  to  direct,  to  instruct,  to  correct, 
and  thoroughly  to  furnish  for  every  good 
word  and  worjc.  Impart  unto  them  the 
spirit  of  wisdom,  and  power,  and  of  a  sound 
mind.  O  give  unto  them  the  spirit  of  un- 
derstanding, of  counsel,  and  right,  a  spirit 
of  knowledge,  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord, 
to  make  them  of  quick  understanding.  O 
remove  not  the  spirit  of  the  trusty,  nor  take 
away  the  understanding  of  the  aged,  nor 
ever  let  the  things  that  belong  to  the  na- 
tion's peace  and  prosperity  be  hidden  from 


SPECIAL.  G5 

the  eyes  of  those  that  are  entrusted  with  the 
nation's  counsels.  Make  it  to  appear  that 
thou  standest  in  the  congregation  of  the 
mighty,  judgest  among  the  gods,  and  that 
when  the  princes  of  thy  people  and  their  wise 
men  are  gathered  together,  thou  art  among 
them.  May  a  sense  of  thy  presence  and 
majesty  make  them  suitably  afraid,  that  all 
things  may  be  done  as  in  thy  sight,  to  thine 
honor  and  to  the  glory  of  our  land,  that 
thou  ma3'est  be  greatly  exalted. 

Preserve  a  sound  mind  in  a  sound  body  to 
our  President  and  each  member  of  his  Cabi- 
net, and  of  our  national  Congress,  and  of  our 
state  Legislatures,  that  they  may  devise 
wisely  and  execute  firmly  such  measures 
as  will  promote  the  peace  and  prosperity 
of  our  beloved  countr3^ 

We  bless  thee,  0  God,  for  our  generals, 
and  we  would  entreat  thee  to  be  round  and 
about  them,  to  defend  and  deliver  them,  to 
inspire  them  with  skill,  confidence,  and  cour- 
age, that,  relying  upo^i  thee  and  guided  by 
thy  Spirit,  they  may  be  wise-hearted  to  dis- 
cover and  defeat  the  artifices  of  our  enemies, 
to  preserve  the  lives  and  secure  the  hearts 
of  our  soldiers,  that  under  their  guidance 
our  armies  may  be  made  mighty  through 
5 


66  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 

God,  to  the  overthrow  of  our  enemies  and 
the  establishment  of  our  peace,  indepen- 
dence, and  prosperity',  that  we  may  be  a 
people  saved  b}^  the  Lord  as  the  shield  of 
our  help  and  the  sword  of  our  excellency; 
and  that  our  enemies  maj^  be  sensible  that 
God  is  with  us,  and  in  the  midst  of  us,  and 
fighteth  for  us. 

Counsel  our  counsellors,  and  give  our  Sen- 
ators wisdom.  Make  all  that  rule  over  us 
just,  ruling  in  the  fear  of  God.  Let  those 
that  judge  remember  that  they  judge  not  for 
man,  but  for  the  Lord  who  is  with  them  in 
judgment,  that  the  fear  of  the  Lord  may  be 
upon  them.  Make  them  able  men,  and  men 
of  truth,  fearing  God  and  hating  covetous- 
ness,  that  judgment  may  run  down  like  a 
river,  and  righteousness  as  a  mighty  stream." 
.  Hear,  0  God,  these  our  earnest  supplica- 
tions. Bless  our  blessings,  that  all  nations 
may  call  us  blessed,  a  delightsome  land,  and 
that  we  may  be  made  high  among  the  na- 
tions in  praise,  and  in  name,  and  in  honor, 
by  being  made  a  hol}^  people  unto  the  Lord 
our  God. 

Almighty  God !  who  hast  graciously  prom- 
ised to  hear  the  supplications  of  all  who  ask 
in  thy  Son's  name,  we  beseech  thee  to  ac- 


SPECIAL.  6t 

cept  the  service  and  the  prayers  now  offered 
unto  thee.  May  those  things  which  we 
have  faithfully  asked,  according  to  thy  will, 
be  effectually  obtained  for  the  relief  of  our 
necessities  and  to  the  advancement  of  thy 
glory,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
Amen. 

Unto  God's  gracious*  mercy  and  protec- 
tion we  now  commit  us.  The  Lord  bless  iis 
and  keep  us.  The  Lord  make  his  face  to 
shine  upon  us  and  be  gracious  unto  us.  The 
Lord  lift  up  his  countenance  upon  us,  and 
give  us  peace,  both  now  and  evermore. 
Amen. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  Heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 

No.  YIII. 

For  our  Confederacy. 
GOD,  thou  hast  so  ordained  human  gov- 


0 


ernment  as  to  make  it  necessary  and 
wise  that  there  shall  be  rulers  and  subjects, 
masters  and  servants,  rich  and  poor,  and 
that  these  inequalities  of  condition  and  di- 
versities of  rank  should  be  permanent  and 
inevitable.  From  the  beginning  hitherto 
thou  hast  also,  0  righteous  God,  associated 


OS  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

the  institution  of  slavery  as  an  organic  form 
of  involuntary  labor  with  thy  Church  and 
people,  thereby  securing  for  slaves  religious 
teaching  and  provision  for  their  temporal 
wants,  and  to  the  world  the  benefit  of  ser- 
vice not  otherwise  attainable.  Thou  hast 
also  in  thy  written  word  given  us  instruc- 
tion as  to  thy  will,  and  our  duty  in  the  rela- 
tion of  master  and  slaves,  embodying  this 
authoritative  teaching  and  divine  protection 
in  thy  holy  and  immutable  LAW,  and  in  the 
teachings  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
Apostles. 

By  thy  holy,  wise,  and  powerful  provi- 
dence, 0  Lord,  thou  hast  introduced  slaverj' 
into  these  Southern  states,  which  thoii  hast 
?illotted  to  our  fathers,  and  to  us  as  a  hab- 
itation for  ever.  Thou  hast  brought  this 
people  among  us,  and  hast  multii)lied  and 
blessed  them,  and,  by  their  labor,  their  social 
progress,  their  spiritual  attainments,  and 
their  conversion  to  God,  thou  hast  ordained 
out  of  their  mouth  praise  to  thy  great  name, 
that  the  tongue  of  thine  enemies  might  be 
stilled,  and  thy  wonder-working  providence 
adored.  And  now,  O  Lord,  it  is  time  for 
thee  to  work,  for  men  have  made  void  thy 
law,  and  teach,  for  thy  will,  the  command- 


SPECIAL.  69 

mcnts  of  men,  and  philosophy,  falsely  so 
called.  They  consent  not  to  wholesome 
words,  even  the  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  nor  to  the  doctrine  which  is  accord- 
ing to  godliness,  but  are  proud  and  destitute 
of  the  truth,  doting  about  questions  whereof 
have  come  envy,  strife,  railing  accusations 
against  us  thy  people,  and  blasphemous 
speeches  against  th}^  holy  Word  and  thy 
righteous  name. 

For  the  truth  of  thy  word,  O  Lord,  which 
is  for  ever  established  in  the  heavens;  for 
the  justice  and  wisdom  of  thine  eternal 
providence,  and  thine  righteousness  and  con- 
sistency of  th3^  dealings  with  thine  aucicDt 
people.  Patriarchs,  Prophets,  and  Apostles, 
we  are  persecuted,  defamed,  and  overwhelm- 
ed with  the  miseries  brought  upon  us  by 
malicious  and  merciless  enemies,  who  neither 
regard  God  nor  man.  But  thou,  0  Lord, 
beiioldest  from  heaven  the  rage  and  mad- 
ness of  this  people,  who  have  set  themselves 
against  thee,  and  against  us  who  reverence 
thy  word  as  the  word  of  God,  and  as  being 
all-profitable  for  doctrine  and  for  instruc- 
tion in  righteousness.  And  as  thou  hast 
commanded  that  from  such  men  we  should 
withdraw   ourselves,  we  now  invoke  thine 


7U  SOCIAL    I'KAYtllS.  * 

omnipotent  arm  for  our  protection.  O  thou 
that  art  glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in 
praises,  a  (xod  doing  wonders,  in  thy  mercy- 
lead  forth  thy  people,  our  wives  and  our 
little  ones,  our  men  servants  and  our  maid 
servants,  and  guide  ns  in  thy  strength  to 
thy  holy  habitation.  Bring  ns  in  and  plant 
lis  in  the  mountain  of  thine  inheritance;  in 
the  place,  0  Lord,  which  thou  hast  made 
for  us  to  dwell  in,  and  may  we  know  by 
joyful  experience  the  blessedness  of  that 
people  whose  God  is  the  Lord,  and  whose 
law  is  thy  sure  and  immutable  Word,  free 
from  the  despotic,  interpretations  and  en- 
forcements of  men. 

Establish  us,  therefore,  O  God,  as  a  Con- 
federacy of  states,  and  build  us  up  on  that 
rock  of  eternal  truth  against  which  the 
gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail.  Unite  us  a 
people  in  the  indissoluble  bonds  of  liberty, 
equality,  and  fraternity.  Harmonize  the 
sovereignty  of  our  states  with  confederated 
constitutional  authority.  May  the  spirit  of 
Washington  animate  th'em  all.  and  lead  them 
ever  to  seek  not  merely  their  own  interests, 
but  also  the  common  good  of  all,  and  to 
beware  of  sectional  jealousies  and  party 
dissensions. 


SPECIAL.  71 

Look  down  upon  us  especially  as  a  slave- 
holding  Confederacy.  As  thou  hast  bestowed 
upon  us  the  blessing  given  in  perpetuit}^  to 
the  posterity  of  Shem  and  Japhet/^  do  thou, 
in  blessing,  bless  us,  and  make  slavery  a 
blessing  to  ourselves,  to  our  slaves,  and  to 
the  world  at  large.  Let  the  blessing  of 
Abraham,  the  father  of  the  faithful  and  the 
friend  of  God,  rest  upon  us  and  upon  our 
servants.  Pour  out,  as  thou  hast  graciously 
promised  to  do,  in  these  latter  days,f  the 
Holy  Spirit  upon  our  sons  and  our  daugh- 
ters, and  upon  our  servants  and  our  hand- 
maidens, that  thej^  may  call  upon  the  Lord. 

Preserve  our  slaves  from  the  fanatical 
machinations  of  our  enemies,  who  would 
delude  and  destro}^  them,  and  under  the 
promise  of  liberty  reduce  them  to  poverty, 
barbarism,  and  exile  from  the  Christian 
homes  and  happiness  of  their  fathers.  Im- 
bue their  minds  with  confidence  in  their 
masters,  and  with  a  spirit"  of  cheerful  and 
loving  obedience.  May  they  remain  loyal 
and  true,  notwithstanding  all  the  tempta- 
tions Avith  which  the}^  are  assailed.     Secure 

*See  Gen.  ix,  25-27. 

fSee  Acts  ii,  16-18,  and  Joel  ii,  28,  29. 


72  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 

to  them  their  present  rch'gioiis  advantages, 
and  dispose  our  hearts  to  be  more  faithful  to 
their  souls,  and  to  render  unto  them  things 
just  and  equal. 

May  the  issue  of  this  war  signally  prove 
tliat  this  battle  is  the  Lord's,  and  that  thou 
hast  made  thy  Word  victorious.  Ma}^  athe- 
istic blasphemy  and  blind  fanaticism  be 
openly  rebuked,  and  the  truth,  purity,  and 
power  of  thy  Word,  and  the  wisdom,  equity, 
and  mercy  of  thy  providential  dealings  to- 
ward this  people  be  gloriously  established 
in  the  sight  of  our  enemies,  and  before  all 
nations  throughout  all  generations ;  and  may 
glory  rest  on  our  land  until  it  shall  be  made 
a  praise  in  the  whole  earth.  Hear,  O  Lord, 
in  heaven,  thy  dwelling  place,  those  our 
humble  petitions,  with  which  we  would  plead 
and  wrestle  with  thee.  Answer  them  in 
mercy,  for  Christ's  sake,  and  abundantly 
bless  us.  Grant  us  the  desires  of  our  hearts 
in  accordance  with  thy  Word;  and  then  will 
we  ever  bless  and  magnify  thy  groat  and 
glorious  name.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
Amen  and  Amen. 


SPECIAL.  73 

No.  IX. 

The  Soldiers'  Prayer  for  their  Families  and 
Friends.*"""",,' 

WHILE  we  thus  plead  with  thee,  O  Lord, 
for  ourselves,  we  desire  affectionately 
and  earnestly  to  commend  to  thy  divine 
protection  and  abundant  mercy  our  absent 
friends  and  relatives.  Separated  from  them 
by  the  command  of  thy  providence,  and  the 
call  of  duty  to  our  endangered  country,  be 
thou,  O  God,  our  Heavenly  Father,  their 
guardian  and  their  comforter.  Be  thou  in- 
stead of  son,  father,  husband,  brother,  friend, 
and  lover.  Preserve  their  bodies  in  health 
and  their  minds  in  peace.  Deliver  them 
from  all  anxious  fears  for  our  safety  and  the 
success  of  our  righteous  cause.  'Inspire  them 
with  such  confidence  in  Thee  that  they  may 
calmly  commit  to  thy  most  powerful,  wise, 
and  just  providence  all  their  cares  and  bur- 
dene.  Be  thou  thfe  strength  of  their  heart 
and  the  anchor  to  their  souls,  and  keep  them 
in  peace,  and  quietness,  and  assurance.  De- 
fend them  from  all  danger.  Help  them  in 
every  time  of  need.  Comfort  them  in  all 
times  of  sickness,  sorrow,  and  sadness.  Per- 

-*fS.To  be  used  as  a  part  of  any  prayer. 


74  SOCIA.L    PRAYERS. 

feet  thy  strength  in  their  weakness,  and 
may  thy  grace  be  sufficient  for  them.  Guide 
them  in  every  difficulty, and  hear  them  when 
they  ask  for  wisdom  to  direct;  instruct  and 
thorough!}^  furnish  them  for  every  duty  de- 
volving upon  them.  May  their  children  and 
servants  be  disposed  by  thee  to  cheerful  obe- 
dience and  happy  contentment.  Provide  for 
all  their  wants,  and  supply  them  out  of  thine 
infinite  fulness.  Secure  to  them  kind  neigh- 
bors and  charitable.  Christian  friends.  May 
every  interest  now  intrusted  to  them  prosper, 
and  the  fields  yield  their  full  increase.  Let 
no  evil  come  nigh  their  dwelling,  and  may 
ministering  spirits  minister  unto  them  as 
heirs  of  salvation.  Hear  thou  our  mutual 
prayers,  and,  though  sundered  far,  may  we 
enjoy  a  sweet  and  sensibly  felt  communion 
around  the  common  mercy  seat.  May  our 
separation  be  soon  terminated,  and  may 
we  ere  long  meet  and  mingle  as  a  happy 
band,  in  all  the  festivities  of  the  home 
circle,  and  in  all  the  privileges  of  social  life, 
and  in  all  tlie  hallowed  scenes  of  Christian 
worship,  heavenly  communion,  and  divine 
charity,  each  living  under  our  own  fig  tree 
and  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  goodly  heritage, 
none  daring  to  make  us  afraid.     Hear  these 


Special.  75 

our  prayers,  most  merciful  God  and  Father. 
Hasten  it  in  our  time,  O  Lord,  that  accord-, 
ing  to  the  days  in  which  we  have  seen  evil 
we  may  rejoice  and  be  glad  before  thee,  and 
may  praise  and  bless  thy  glorious  name, 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  all  the  days  of 
our  life. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 

No.  X. 

Service  for  a  Funeral  Occasion  in  Camp. 

1.  The  leader  will,  if  convenient,  sing  a 
suitable  hymn. 

2.  He  will  then  read  a  portion  of  Scrip- 
ture. 

3.  The  following  or  any  suitable  prayer 
may  then  be  offered  : 

ALMIGHTY,  everlasting,  and  ever  blessed 
God,  who  art  the  Father  of  tlie  Spirits 
of  all  flesh,  thou  hast  taught  us  in  thy  Holy 
Word  that  affliction  springeth  not  forth 
from  the  dust,  nor  cometh  by  chance,  but 
that  with  God,  the  Lord,  belong  the  issues  of 
life  and  death.  Thou  takest  away  their 
breath;  men  die  and  return  unto  their  dust. 


76  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 

Thou  bast  appointed  to  man  liis  time  upon 
earth,  a  time  to  be  born  and  a  time  to  die, 
80  that  his  days  are  determined  like  the 
days  of  a  hireling;  and  his  bounds,  that 
he  cannot  pass.  We  rejoice,  O  Lord,  that 
we  are  thus  in  thine  hands,  who  art  too 
wise  to  err  and  too  good  to  be  unkind;  that 
in  thee  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  be- 
ing; and  that  thou  hast  the  ke3's  of  death 
and  the  grave.  Blessed  be  the  name  of 
the  Lord. 

Help  us,  O  Grod,  while  we  now  surround 
the  body  {or  bodies)  of  our  departed  com- 
rade, to.  acknowledge,  praise,  and  glorify 
thee,  to  see  thy  providence,  and  hear  thy 
voice  in  this  solemn  event;  to  lay  it  deeply 
to  heart,  to  consider  our  own  last  end,  and 
to  prepare  to  meet  our  God.  O  may  we 
deepl}^  realize  the  solemn  truth  that  It  is 
appointed  unto  each  of  us  once  to  die,  and 
that  after  death  cometh  the  judgment,  when 
w^c  must  each  one  of  us  receive  according  to 
the  deeds  done  in  our  bodies,  whether  they 
have  been  good  or  bad".  O  most  merciful 
Father,  who  liast  taken  our  comrade  and 
left  us,  may  th}^  goodness  lead  us  to  repent- 
ance. May  a  thankful  remembrance  of  thy 
mercy  induce  us  to  present  our  bodies,  souls, 


SPECIAL.  77 

and  spirits  unto  thee  as  a  living  sacrifice, 
and  as  our  most  reasonable  service.  O  our 
Father,  who  hast  provided  for  us  a  glorious 
Saviour  and  a  gracious  Comforter,  and  hast 
promised  to  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them 
that  ask,  may  He  now  work  in  us  to  willand 
to  do  of  thy  good  pleasure,  and  may  He  lead 
us  in  the  way  everlasting.  Make  us  wise 
unto  salvation,  so  that  in  this  the  day  of  our 
merciful  visitation  we  may  hear  the  things 
that  belong  to  our  peace,  ere  they  are  for 
ever  hidden  from  our  eyes.  .  We  know  not, 
O  God,  hoiv,  7vhen,  or  lohere  we  shall  die;  but 
we  know  that  in  the  very  midst  of  life,  and 
strength,  and  manly  vigor  we  are  in  death, 
and  we  cannot  tell  what  an  hour  may  bring 
forth.  Grant,  therefore,  O  holy  and  blessed 
Saviour — who  for  us,  sinners,  didst  become 
man,  and  having  endured  the  bitter  pains  of 
death,  didst  abolish  its  curse  and  open  the 
kingdom  of  God  to  all  believers — that,  being 
justified  by  faith  in  thee,  we  may  have  peace 
with  God  and  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of 
God. 

Disarm  death  of  its  sting  and  the  grave  of 
its  victor}^,  and  inspire  us  with  such  a  sweet 
sense  of  pardoned  sin,  and  with  a  hope  so 
full  of  immortality,  that  we  shall  fear   no 


78  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 

evil,  knowing  that  if  any  man  believe  in 
Christ,  though  he  were  dead,  3'et  shall  he 
live;  and  that  if  the  earthl}'  house  of  this 
tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  build- 
ing of  God,  a  house  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  in  the  heavens.  Save  us  from  pro- 
crastination and  presumption.  May  we  not 
trust  to  a  dying  hour,  nor  think  that  patriot- 
ism is  piety,  or  a  good  cause  a  good  hope  for 
salvation.  Help  us,  therefore,  now  to  fly 
from  all  refuges  of  lies,  and  lay  hold  on  the 
hope  set  before  us  in  the  gospel.  Be  thou, 
O  Christ,  the  anchor  of  our  souls,  the  rock 
of  our  foundation;  the  way,  the  truth,  and 
the  life;  our  wisdom,  sanctification,  and  re- 
demption; our  hope  of  glory,  our  all  in  all. 

We  bless  thee,  0  Lord,  that,  while  a  long- 
life  is  not  always  a  blessing,  the  shortest 
may  be  sufficient  to  secure  the  great  end  of 
life — even  the  salvation  of  our  souls  and  a 
life  everlasting/  Should  we  die  young,  or 
suddenly,  as  in  a  moment,  may  we  not  .die 
unprepared ;  nor  until,  by  faith,  we  have  seen 
the  Lord  Christ,  and  know  that  our  Re- 
deemer liveth,  and  that,  although  after  death 
worms  may  destroy  these  bodies,  yet  in  our 
flesh  we  shall  see  God,  whom  we  shall  see 
for  ourselves,  and  our  eyes  behold  him.  Give 


SPECIAL.  yy 

us  grace  while  living  to  prepare  for  dj'ing, 
and  when  dying  for  dying  in  the  Lord,  that 
our  last  end  may  be  peace.  When  heart 
and  flesh  shall  fiiil  us,  be  thou,  O  Jjord,  the 
strength  of  our  heart,  ^mid  the  brief  ago- 
nies of  a  violent  death  do  thou,  our  Saviour, 
who  didst  endure  the  slow  tortures  of  the 
cross,  succor  us  Avith  thy  peace  :  that  peace 
which  the  world  can  neither  give  nor  take 
away;  which  passeth  all  understanding,  and 
which  can  make  even  a  gory  bed  feel  soft  as 
downy  pillows  are,  while  on  thy  breast  we 
lean  our  head  and  breathe  our  soul  out 
sweetly  there.  Though  alone,  and  far  from 
loving  ones  at  home,  may  Thy  presence  be 
with  us,  and  may  Thy  consolations  delight 
our  souls.  Eeceive  into  thine  hands  our  de- 
parting spirit.  Cheer  it  with  the  prospect 
of  victor}'  beyond  the  grave,  and  a  crown  of 
glory  that  fadeth  not  aw^ay.  May  our  death 
be  precious  in  thy  sight.  May  our  parting 
soul  be  made  perfect  in  holiness,  and  fitted 
for  an  inheritance  among  the  sj^irits  of  the 
just.  Borne  by  angels'  wings  to  Abraham's 
bosom,  may  we  find  that  to  be  absent  from 
the  body  is  to  be  present,  that  very  day  in 
Paradise,  with  thee  our  ever  blessed  Lord 
and  Saviour. 


80  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 

We  thank  tlie'e,  O  God,  who  art  thyself  a 
man  of  war,  and  the  God  of  battles,  and  the 
giver  of  victory,  for  the  patriotism,  valor, 
w^illingness  to  die,  and  manly  fortitude  of 
our  fallen  heroic  brethren.    May  their  names 
.  live  in    the  everlasting   remembrance  of  a 
?"Tedeemed  and  grateful  country,  and  irradi- 
ate their  posterity  with  glory.     God  of  our 
Fathers,  and  God  of  Nations,  may  their  blood 
cry  not  in  vain  for  vengeance  on  the  per- 
jured, hypocritical,  and  blood-thirsty  heads 
of  our   tyrannical   oppressors.     May    their 
blood  kindle  into  a  flame  our  burning  pa- 
triotism; dispel  fear,  and  arouse  the  spirit  of 
a  noble  daring,  that  we  may  emulate  their 
example  and  secure  for  them  the  graves  of 
freedom,  or  perish  with  them  in  the  death 
struggle  for  liberty.     God   of  our  Fathers 
and  of  our  Warriors,  let  no  enslaved  race  of 
freemen  ever  live  on  soil  made  holy  by  the 
graves  of  our  martyred  dead.     O  Father  ! 
Father  of  our  Fathers!  and  of  these  slaugh- 
tered children  of  our  Fathers!  who  didst  give 
to  them  this  goodly  heritage,  and  impart  to 
them  a  love  for  liberty  stronger  than  the 
love   of  life,   nerve   our  hearts  to   contend 
earnestly   unto    blood    for   our   homes   and 
hearthS;  for  our  wives  and  our  sisters,  for 


SPECIAL.  81 

our  sanctuaries  and  cemeteries,  for  our  holy 
religion,  and  for  thy  glory,  O  God,  and  to 
swear  upon  thine  altar,  and  over  the  ashes 
of  our  buried  con^rades — who  have  put"  off 
their  mortal  clothing  and  put  on'  the  im- 
mortal, and  arc  now  crowned  with  victory — 
that  while  the  soil  of  our  country  is  pol- 
luted by  the  tread  of  a  bai-barous  foe  we 
will  either  live  with  her,  or  die  for  her. 
•  Oh  Grod !  who  art  not  unrighteous  in 
taking  vengeance,  we,  thy  oppressed  and 
outraged  people,  do  now  cry  unto  thee. 
Behold  our  tears;  our  wrongs;  our  dese- 
crated temples,  our  imperiled  cities,  liber- 
ties, and  religion  ;  all  that  thou  hast  given 
us,  and  made  dear  to  us  as  our  own  lives; 
and  answer  us  from  thy  secret  place  of 
thunder.  Make  thj'self  known  by  the  judg- 
ments which  thou  executest  against  them 
who  make  might  right,  and,  with  perjured 
hearts  and  profane  lips,  seek  to  overwhelm 
us  in  the  ruins  of  a  constitutional  govern- 
ment which  their  faithless  fanaticism  has 
destroyed.  Arise,  O  God,  Judge  of  the 
earth  !  Cause  judgment  to  be  heard  from 
heaven.  Thou  that  sittest  on  the  throne, 
judging  right,  maintain  our  righteous  cause. 
Be  a  refuge  to  the  oppressed.  Make  inqui- 
6 


82  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

sition  for  blood,  and  remember  <thy  slaugh- 
tered children.  Arise,  O  Lord,  let  not  our 
enemies  prevail.  Rebuke  them.  Put  them 
in  fear.  Turn  them  bacTi,  and  may  they 
perish  at  thy  presence.  May  the  stars  in 
their  courses  fight  against  them,  and  the 
angel  of  death  pursue  them.  Arise,  0  Lord 
God  of  Hosts!  Awake!  put  on  thy  strength, 
and  lift  us  up  from  the  gates  of  death,  that 
we  may  rejoice  in  thy  salvation,  and  praise 
thee  in  the  midst  of  thy  temple. 

And  naw,  almighty  and  everlasting  God, 
we  commit  this  body  of  our  deceased  com- 
rade to  the  earth,  in  joyful  hope  of  a  glo- 
rious resurrection.  And  in  that  great  and 
awful  day,  when  thou,  the  righteous  Judge, 
shalt  come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead, 
grant,  O  most  merciful  Father,  that  we  may 
be  found  of  thee  in  peace.  O  Lord  God  of 
Hosts  !  hear  our  prayer;  give  ear,  O  God  of 
Jacob.  Behold,  O  God,  our  shield,  and  look 
upon  the  flice  of  thine  Anointed.  So  we, 
thy  people  and  the  sheep  of  thy  pasture, 
will  give  thee  thanks  for  ever;  we  shall 
show  forth  thy  praise  through  all  genera- 
tions.    Amen. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  etc. 


SPECIAL.  ■    83 

No.  XI. 
Prayer  against  ovr  Enemies  and  for  Peace. 

OGOD,  unto,  whom  all  hearts  are  open, 
and  all  desires  known,  we  come  unto 
thee,  and  fall  down  before  thee,  and  worship 
thee,  whose  power  is  infinite,  whose  wisdom 
is  unsearchable,  and  whose  providence  ex- 
tendeth  over  all  thino;s  and  all  events.  Thoii 
art  the  high  and  might}^  ruler  of  the  uni- 
verse, Avho  doest  whatsoever  thou  pleasest 
among  the  armies  of  heaven  and  the  inhab- 
itants of  earth,  none  daring,  with  impunity, 
to  resist  thy  will,  or  to  say  unto  thee  What 
doest  Thou  ? 

Great  and  te.n'ible  God!  thy  judgments 
are  now  devastating  this  once  fair,  fertile, 
and  prosj:)erous  Union  of  free,  sovereign, 
and  independent  states.  Xhou  hast  brought 
upon  us  this  war  which  is^he  sword  of  thy 
Vengeance,  and  given  it  a  commission  to 
execute  the  fierceness  of  thy  wrath  upon  a 
guilt}'  land,  and  to  divide  us  into  separate 
and  independent  countries  for  ever. 

We  plead  before  thee,  0  God,  the  right- 
eousness of  our  cause.  Our  confederates 
have  broken  the  covenant  made  with  them 
by  our  Fathers  and  sealed  in  the  chancery 


."^4  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

of  heaven.  The}^  have  dealt  treacherously 
with  us,  their  brethren,  in  these  Southern 
states,  and  perfidiously  deprived  us  of  im- 
partial justice,  equal  rights,  guaranteed 
protection  and  honorable  securit}^  for  our 
slaves  whom  thou  hast  brought  among  us, 
and  given  us  charge  over  them,  for  good  to 
them  and  to  the  world,  and  for  gloiy  to  thy 
holy,  wise,  and  powerful  providence.  They 
have  perverted  thy  truth  and  prostituted 
thy  holy  religion,  and  usurped  thy  supreme 
prerogative  as  Lord  of  conscience;  and,  while 
we  invoked  a  peaceful  separation,  they  have 
taken  the  sword,  and  blown  the  trumpet 
of  war,  and  have  come  up  against  us  to 
subdue  us,  and  to  rule  impiously  over  us, 
making  void  thy  law  and  enforcing  for  thy 
doctrines  the  commandments  of  men. 

TVe  acknowledge,  O  thou  righteous  Judge 
eternal,  that  while  our  enemies  are  the  hand 
the  sword  is  thine.  They  have  no  power 
at  all  against  us  but  that  which  thou  hast 
given  them,  and  thou  art  able  to  stay  their 
vengeance,  and  to  punish  them  for  their 
horrid  cruelties,  their  diabolic  malice,  and 
their  barbarous  vandalism.  The  nations 
have  heard  of  their  shame;-  and  the  cry  of 
our  miseries,  and  of  unparalleled  atrocities 


SPECIAL.  85 

perpetrated  among  iis,  has  filled  the  whole 
civilized  world,  and  is  continually  ascend- 
ing unto  thee,  O  righteous  Father,  to  whom 
belongeth  vengeance.  Wherefore  hast  thou, 
O  Lord,  done  this  against  our  land  ?  What 
meaneth  the  heat  of  this  great  anger  ?  flow 
long,  O  Lord,  holy,  just,  and  true,  dost  thou 
not  avenge  ui?  speedily  against  these  our 
enemies?  We  acknowledge  our  sins,  and 
the  sins  of  our  fathers,  and  the  righteous- 
ness of  thy  chastening  judgments.  We  are 
sinners  before  thee,  O  God,  and  we  dwell 
among  a  sinful  people.  But,  Lord,  be  not 
very  wroth.  Let  not  thine  anger  endure 
for  ever.  In  wrath  remember  mere}-,  and 
let  it  repent  thee  concerning  thy  servants. 
Turn  away  thine  anger,  and  be  reconciled 
unto  us  and  restore  us. 

Hear,  most  merciful  Father,  the  prayer 
of  multitudes  who  sigh  and  cry  for  the 
abominations  of  our  land,  and  for  thine  own 
Name's  sake  turn  away  ungodliness  from 
our  people  and  pour  out  upon  them  a  spirit 
of  repentance,  reformation,  and  godliness. 
Thou  hast  caused  us  to  hope  in  thy  Word. 
Thou  hast  given  us  a  banner  to  be  displayed 
because  of  the  truth.  Arise,  0  God,  and 
plead  our  cause  against  a  faithless  and  ftir 


86  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 

natical  people.  The  battle  is  thine,  0  Lord 
God  of  truth  and  justice.  Vindicate  thy 
Word,  will,  and  providence.  Let  not  their 
counsel  stand,  neither  let  it  come  to  pass. 
Though  they  associate  themselves,  let  them 
be  broken  in  pieces,  and  though  they  take 
counsel  together,  speak  thou  the  word,  O 
Lcfi'd,  and  it  shall  come  to  noftght.  For  thy 
power  standeth  not  in  multitude,  nor  thy 
might  in  strong  men;  for  thou  art  a  God  of 
the  afflicted,  a  helper  of  the  oppressed,  an 
upholder  of  tlie  weak,  a  protector  of  the 
forlorn,  and  a  Saviour  of  them  that  are 
without  hope. 

How  long,  O  Lord,  shall  we  hear  the 
sound  of  the  trumpet  and  the  clang  of  arms? 
Thou  didst  bring -this  war  upon  us,  and 
Thou  can*t  deliver  us  from  it.  May  it  please 
thee  in  thy  merciful  goodness,  O  Lord,  who 
makest  wars  to  cease  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth,  to  ordain  peace  for  us.  Grant  unto 
us  speedily,  we  beseech  thee,  peace;  a  right- 
eous, hoiVorable,  and  propitious  peace.  Give 
untQ  us,  thou  Sovereign  disposer  of  all 
events,  this  peace  in  our  time,  before  we  are 
cut  oft'  from  the  land  of  the  living  and  go 
hence  to  be  no  more. 

O  Lord  God,  to  whom  belongeth  righteous- 


SPECIAL.  6  / 

ness,  and  mercies,  and  forgivenesses,  though 
we  have  rebelled  against  thee — who  hast 
brought  thy  people  forth  with  thy  right 
hand,  and  hast  gotten  thee  renown  as  at 
this  day — le.t  thine  anger  and  thy  fury  be 
turned  away  from  us,  and  cause  thy  face  to 
shine  upon  our  land  which  is  desolate,  for 
tlie  Lord's  sake.  Send  now  peace  and  pros- 
perity. Save  us  from  our  enemies,  and  from 
the  hands  of  all  that  hate  us,  that  we  being 
delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  our  enemies 
mtp^tt  serve  thee  without  fear.  O  our  God, 
incline  thine  ear  and  Irear,  and  open  thine 
eyes  and  behold  our  desolations.  For  we 
do  not  present  our  supplications  before  thee 
for  our  righteousnesses,  but  for  thy  great 
mercies.  O  Lord  hear,  O  Lord  forgive,  O 
Lo^'d  hearken  and  do;  defer  not  for  thine 
own  sake,  O  my  God.  Thy  people  are  called 
by  thy  name. 

^  [Look  down  from  heaven  upon  thy  deso- 
late sanctuaries;  upon  thj'  people  dispersed 
and  persecuted;  and  upon  the^  lambs  of  thy 
flock  scattered  upon  the  mountains,  and  far 
from  thy  pastures  and  their  Shepherd's  care. 

•*The  part  within  brackets  may  be  omitted  or  used  at 
pleasure. 


88  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 

We  pray,  O  Lord,  for  the  peace  and  pros- 
perity of  Zion,  that  peace  may  aii^ain  dwell 
within  her  ijjates,  and  prosperity  within  her 
palaces.  Bring  forth  her  exiled  bands,  re- 
store her  waste  places,  heal  her  breaches, 
rebuild  her  broken  walls,  and  add  to  her 
multitudes  of  such  as  shall  be  saved.  Pour 
out  thy  spirit  upon  her  sons  and  her  daugh- 
ters, upon  her  old  men  and  mothers,  and 
upon  her  servants.  And  may  our  children 
be  seen  flocking  as  doves  to  their  windows, 
numerous  as  the  drops  of  dew  in  the  womb 
of  the  morning.  May, those  that  have  been 
panting  in  desert  places  like  the  hart  for 
the  water  brooks,  again  appear  before  thee, 
the  living  God,  and  again  flourish  in  the 
courts  of  the  Lord,  and  bring  forth  fruit 
unto  old  age.  And  may  thy  people  again 
be  glad  in  going  up  to  the  house  of  God  in 
company  with  multitudes  who  attend  upon 
thy  solemn  feasts. 

Look  upon  our  families,  O  thou  who  placest 
the,  solitary  in  families  and  lovest  all  the 
dwellings  of  thine  Israel,  and  again  reunite 
them  around  theii*  own  hearths,  under  their 
own  vine  and  fig  tree,  none  daring  to  make 
them  afraid;  that  the  incense  of  prayer  may 
ascend  up  to  thee  continually  from  every 


SPECIAL.     *  89 

family  altiir   and  from  the  altar  of  many 
hearts. 

Look  down  upon  our  schools,  colleges,  and 
seminaries  of  theological  learhin<T  which  are 
now  languishing  or  disbanded,  and  speedily 
reopen  their  closed  gates  of  knowledge;  and 
fill  them  with  numerous  aspirants  after  pub- 
lic usefulness  in  thy  vineyard  and  in  their 
country's  service,  who  shall  become  eminent 
for  wisdom,  statesmanship,  and  piety,  and 
exalt  the  fame  of  our  country  and  the  glory 
of  thy  Church. 

Look  upon  our  cities  now  silent,  burnt 
with  fire,  and  ravaged  with  the  sword,  and 
may  they  again  become  populous,  and  com- 
merce be  revived,  and  pro:sperity  abound, 
and  may  all  our  streets  say  hallelujah  and 
praise  Thee,  saying :  Blessed  be  God,  who 
hath  redeemed  them  for  ever. 

Look  upon  our  fields  laid  waste,  our  gar- 
dens converted  into  deserts,  and  our  barns 
empty  j  and  may  the  earth  again  bring  forth 
abundantly,  and  the  wilderness  blossom  as 
the  rose,  and  our  barns  be  filled  with  plenty 
of  the  finest  of  the  wheat.  Look,  0  God 
of  pitiful  compassion  and  tender  sympathy, 
upon  bereaved  families  and  broken  hearts, 
and  be  thou  the  husband  of' the  widow  and 


90  SOCIAL   PRAf  ERS. 

the  fiither  of  the  fatherless.  Take  up,  0 
Lord,  those  who  are  forsaken  and  forlorn, 
and  give  beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for 
mourning,  the  garment  of  praise  for  the 
spirit  of  heaviness.] 

Merciful  God,  who  didst  proclaim  peace 
on  earth,  who  art  thyself  the  God  of  peace, 
and  of  hope,  and  ccyisolation,  O  do  thou 
now  impart  peaCe  to  thy  distressed  people. 
Almighty  Saviour,  who  art  the  Prince  of 
peace,  who  camest  to  bring  peace  on  earth 
and  good  will  to  men,  and  to  reunite  in  bonds 
of  peace  God  with  man,  and  man  with  man, 
do  thou  command  these  rae'inii;  waves  of  war 
to  be  at  peace,  and  there  shall  be  a  great 
calm.  O  holy  and  ever  blessed  Spirit,  the 
Comforter,  whose  fruits  within  the  soul  are 
peace,  gentleness,  brotherly  kindness,  and 
tender  compassion,  send  peace  into  the  hearts 
of  our  enemies,  and  so  work  in  them  to  will 
and  -to  do  that  they  shall  seek  the  things 
that  make  for  peace,  and  be  glad  to  be  at 
peace  with  us.  O  God,  who  art  over  all 
and  blessed  for  ever.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  satisfy  us  early  with  thy  mercy,  that 
we  may  rejoice  and  be  glad  all  our  days. 
Make  us  glad  according  to  the  days  wherein 
thou  hast  afflicted  us,  and  the  dit^ wherein 


SPECIAL.  91 

we  have  seen  evil.  Fill  our  mouth  witii 
laughter  and  our  tongue  with  siiiging,  that 
it  may  be  said  among  the  nations,  the  Lord 
hath  done  great  things  for  us.  Help,  Lord, 
and  save  us  for  thy  mercies'  sake.  O  Lord 
God  of  Hosts,  hear  our  prayer.  Give  ear, 
O  God  of  Jacob.  Behold,  0  God,  our  shield, 
and  look  upon  the  face  of  thine  Anointed. 
According  unto  the  multitude  of  thy  mer- 
cies— according  to  the  riches  of  thy  grace, 
for  thine  own  sake,  O  Lord,  and  for  thy 
Christ's  sake,  be  merciful  unto  us  sinners, 
to  the  glory  of  thy  rich  and  sovereign  mere}' 
in  Christ  Jesus.     Amen. 

Our  Father,  wh'p  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 

I'  No.  XIL 

■?     Prayer  for  a  Thanksgiving  for  Peace. 

THOU,  0  Lord,  art  Governor  among  the 
nations.  Thou  judgest  the  worhi  in 
righteousness,  and  ministerest  judgment  to 
the  people  in  uprightness.  Surely,  Q  God, 
thou  hast  beheld  the  affliction  of  thy  people, 
and  heard  their  cr}^,  and  knawn  their  sorrow. 
For  the  misery"  of  the  j^oor/for  the  ^sighing 
of  the  needy,  for  the  praj-^^r  of  the  widow 


92  SOCIAL    TRAYERS. 

and  the  fatherless;  for  the  cry  of  innocent 
blood,  shed  by  wicked  and  ruthless  hands  in 
every  part  of  our  blood-stained  soil,  thou 
liast  arisen,  O  Lord;  and  He  that  is  higher 
than  the  liighest  has  avenged  ns  on  these, 
our  adversjunes,  and  recompensed  their  own 
way  upon  their  heads.  Because  they  have 
warred  against  thy  people  by  t;iking  ven- 
geance, and  have  greatl}'  offended  because 
they  have  avenged  themselves  upon  us  with 
despiteful  hearts,  and  have  shed  the  blood 
of  th}^  children  by  force  in  the  time  of  our 
calamity,  Thou  hast,  prepared  them  unto 
blood,  and  made  blood  pursue  them,  that 
they  may  know  that  thou  art  the  Lord. 
AVhen  th}^  hand  was  lifted  up,  O  Lord,  they 
would  not  see;  but  the}'  have  seen  and  are 
made  ashamed  for  their  envj-  at  thy  people; 
yea,  the  fire  of  thine  anger  has  devoured 
them.  Righteous  art  thou,  O  Lord,  when 
thou  judgest!  Hallelujah!  for  the  Lord 
God  omnipotent  reigneth,  and  doth  accord- 
ing to  the  counsel  of  his  will,  to  the  praise 
of  his  own  glory. 

O  God,  whose  name  alone  is  Jehovah,  and 
who  art  the  most  high  over  all  the  earth ; 
thou  art  our  God,  and  we  will  2:)raise  thee, 
our  fathers'   God  ;  and  we  will  exalt  thee, 


SPECIAL.  93 

the  Rock  of  ages,  with  whom  is  everlasting 
strength,  and  the  memorial  of  whose  good- 
ness is  unto  all  generations.  Thy  right 
hand,  O  Lord,  is  become  glorious  in  power. 
Th}'  right  hand,  O  Lord,  has  dashed  in 
pieces  the  enemy.  ,  And  in  the  greatness 
of  thine  excellency  thou  hast  overthrown 
them  that  rose  up  against  us.  This  is  the 
Lord's  doing,  ana  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes. 
O  God,  who  art  the  God  of  peace,  thou 
hast  ordained  peace  for  us.  Lord,  thou  hast 
been  favorable  unto  thy  land.  Thou  hast 
forgiven  the  iniquity  of  thy  people ;  thou 
hast  covered  all  their  sins.  Thou  in  thy 
merc}'  hast  led  forth  the  people  whom  thou 
hast  redeemed;  thou  hast  guided  them  in 
thy  strengtli  unto  thy  holy  habitation;  thou 
hast  increased  the  nation,  O  Lord ;  thou 
hast  increased  the  natiop;  thou  art  glori- 
fied. Thou  has  brought  them  in,  and  plant- 
ed them  in  the  mountain  of  thine  inheritance, 
in  the  place,  0  Lord,  which  thou  hast  made 
for  thee  to  dwell  in,  the  sanctuary,  O  Lord, 
which  thy  hands  have  established.  May  we 
trust  in  the  Lord  for  ever,  for  in  the  Lord 
Jehovah  is  everlasting  strength.  For  he 
bringeth  down  them  that  dwell  on  high ; 
the  lofty  nation  he  layeth  it  low  even  to  the 


94  SOCIAL    PRAYERS. 

ground,  he  bringeth  it  even  to  the  dust.  In 
the  way  of  thy  judgments,  0  Lord,  have  we 
waited  for  thee;  the  desire  of  our  soul  is  to 
thy  name,  and  to  the  remembrance  of  thee. 
Wlio  is  like  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  among  the 
gods?  Who  is  like  unto  Thee,  glorious  in 
holiness,  fearful  in  praises,  doing  wonders? 

Now,  O  Lord,  that  thou  hast  turned  a2:ain 
our  captivity,  we  are  like  those  tiia.t  dream. 
The  night  season  of  terrible  calamity  and 
frightful  apprehensions  has  passed,  and  we 
'awake  to  see  the  sunshine  of  peace,  pros- 
perity, and  plenty  shine  all  around  us.  Thy 
voice  of  mercy  speaketh  peace  unto  thy 
people.  Thou  makest  assured  peace  in  our 
borders  and  feedest  us  with  the  finest  of  the 
wheat.  Thou  hast  filled  our  mouths,  with 
laughter  and  our  tongues  with  singing. 
Thou  hast  wiped  away  all  tears  fi-otn  off  all 
faces. 

We  would  remember,  0  Lord,  the  days 
that  are  past,  the  years  in  which  we  have 
seen  evil ;  when  thou  didst  feed  thy  people 
on  the  bread  of  adversity,  and  give  thena 
wormwood  and  gall  to  drink;  and  didst  fill 
our  land  with  the  wail  of  sorrow.  We  sat 
down,  yea,  we  wept,  when  we  remembered 
Zion.     We  would  not  forget  all  Th}^  mercies 


(Special.  95, 

toward  us,  and  thj^  gracious  benefits  then 
so  freely  conferred  upon  us  in  sustaining, 
succoring,  and  comforting  us.  We  .would 
recount  them  over  and  over,  and  call  upon 
our  souls  and  all  witliin  us  to  be  stirred  iip 
worthily  to  magnify  and  bless  thy  name. 
We  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord,  who  has 
remembered  us  in  our  low  estate,  and  has 
redeemed  us  from  our  enemies,  for  thy 
mercy  endure th  for  ever.  We  praise  thee 
with  our  whole  heart  for  thy  loving  kind- 
ness and  for  thy  truth.  In  the  day  when 
we  cried  unto  thee  thou  answeredst  us  and 
strengthenedst  us  with  strength  in  our  soul. 
Though  we  walked  in  the  midst  of  trouble, 
thou  didst  revive  us.  Thou  didst  stretch 
forth  thine  hand  against  the  wrath  of  our 
enemies,  and  thy  right  hand  saved  us.  Praise 
waiteth  for  thee,  O  Grod,  in  Zion.  In  the 
midst  of  thy  temple  we  will  think  of  all  thy 
loving  kindness.  From  the  uttermost  parts 
of  our  land  thou  shalt  hear  songs  of  rejoic- 
ing. With  our  wives  and  our  little  oneSj 
and  with  our  heroic  dead,  who  are  still  ours 
to  love  and  honor  them  in  the  blessed  and 
holy  communion  of  all  saints  in  heaven,  we 
unite  this  day  in  descriptions  of  glory.  We 
thank  thee  for  these  our  martyred  sons  who 


96  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 

are  now  to  become  our  fathers,  and  live  in 
everlasting  remembrance  in  the  annals  of 
our  war  and  in  the  hearts  of  a  generous 
and  grateful  country.  May  their  bereaved 
families  find  in  thee  a  covenant- keeping 
God,  and  in  our  people  nursing  fathers  and 
nursing  mothers. 

And  now,  0  God,  who  by  thy  Word  and 
Spirit  hast  created  this  United  Confederacy, 
and  bast  now  established  its  inde])endence, 
and  sent  it  forth  in  the.  career  of  political 
existence,  baptized  by  the  blood  of  thou- 
sands of  the  best  and  bravest  of  her  sons, 
and  cemented  into  one  body  by  the  common 
loss  of  prosperity  and  property,  arid  the 
common  endurance  of  a  great  fight  of  afflic- 
tion, wilt  thou  not  become  our  guardian, 
guide,  and  governor.  '  Set  up  in  our  midst 
thy  throne  of  justice  and  righteousness. 
Come  and  reign  over  us.  Jlule  in  our  minds 
and  hearts  by  thy  Word,  will,  and  provi- 
dence. Make  th}^  glory  our  chief  end,  and 
thy  Word  our  infallible  standard  of  right 
and  wrong,  of  truth,  and  duty.  Most  mer- 
ciful God,  who  hast  done  so  great  things  for 
us,  let  us  not  be  satisfied  with  triumphant 
success  of  arms,  political  and  military  glory, 
or  with  agricultural,  CQmmercial,  and  social 


SPECIAL.  .       97 

prosperity.  Save  us,  save  us,  O  God,  from 
vainglorious  pride  and  self-reliance,  and  from 
all  worldliness  and  ungodliness.  Leave,  0 
leave  us  not  to  ourselves,  to  carnal  reason, 
selfish  policy,  or  mere  material  aggrandize- 
ment. Go  up  with  us,  and  keep  near  to  us, 
and  dwell  among  us,  and  be  not  as  a  way- 
faring man  or  as  a  stranger  in  the  land. 
Pour  out  upon  us  thy  Spirit.  Eevive  among 
us  thy  work.  Diffuse  throughout  our  land 
pure  and  undefiled  religion.  Exalt  our  na- 
tion by  righteousness,  and  make  it  Emman- 
uel's land,  and  may  we  be  that  happy  people 
whose  God  is  the  Lord. 

Preserve  us,  O  God,  from  international 
jealousy  and  strife;  from  party  spirit,  sec- 
tional rivalry,  and  political  ambition.  O 
God,  who  art  the  ruler  of  heaven  and  earth, 
be  thou  our  pilot  through  the  storm-tossed 
deep,  covered  as  it  is, with  the  w^recks  of  so 
many  foundered  nations.  Guide  us  securely 
through  the  rocks  and  quicksands  on  which 
they  perished;  and  may  heavenly  wisdom 
direct  our  people  in  the  safe  course  which 
will  lead  to  permanent  prosperity  and  peace. 

Eule  Thou  in  the  hearts  of  our  rulers; 
counsel  our  counsellors;  and  give  to  our 
Senators,  our  Congressional  and  State  Leg- 
7 


98  SOCIAL   PRAYERS. 


• 


isljitures,  and  to  all  Judges,  Governors, 
and  Magistrates,  and  to  all  who  have  influ- 
ence or  authority  over  us,  the  spirit  of  power 
and  of  a  sound  mind,  the  spirit  of  counsel 
and  of  might,  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 
Make  them  able  men,  and  men  of  truth, 
fearing  God  and  hating  covetousness,  that 
judgment  may  run  down  like  a  river  and 
righteousness  like  a  mighty  stream.  Give 
grace  to  all  citizens  to  live  quiet  and  peace- 
able lives  in  all  godliness  and  honesty,  dwell- 
ing in  peace  and  unity,  that  the  Lord  may 
command  a  blessing  upon  us,  and  life  for 
evermore. 

Let  our  schools,  colleges,  and  seminaries 
be  replenished  Avith  every  good  and  perfect 
gift  from  the  Father  of  lights.  Cast  the 
salt  of  th}^  grace  into  these  fountains,  that 
the  streams  thereof  may  make  glad  the  city 
of  our  God,  the  holy  place  of  the  tabernacles 
of  the  Most  High.  Bless  all  classes  and 
conditions  of  men  among  us — the  high  and 
the  low,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  learned 
and  unlearned,  the  free  and  the  bond,  the 
servant  and  the  master. 

We  pray,  O  Lord  our  God,  for  the  peace 
and  prosperity  of  Zion.  May  she  arise  out 
of  all  these  troubles  and  shine,  the  glory  of 


SPECIAL.  99 


tlie  Lord  having  risen  upon  her.  May  the 
blood  of  her  martyrs  prove  the  seed  of  the 
Church.  Having  gone  forth  weeping,  may 
she  now  come  again  rejoicing  and  bearing 
her  sheaves  with  her.  May  a  spirit  of  hu- 
mility, penitence,  and  unfeigned  faith  be 
poured  out  upon  all  our  disbanded  soldiers. 
May  th}"  goodness  toward  them  during  all 
their  dangers  and  distresses  lead  them  to  a 
grateful  consecration  of  their  spared  lives 
unto  the  Lord,  so  that  in  return  for  all  His 
benefits  they  may  take  the  cup  of  salvation 
and  pay  their  vows  unto  him  who  loved 
them  and  gave  Himself  for  them. 
.  And  now  the  Lord  our  Grod  be  with  us, 
as  he  was  with  our  fathers.  Let  him  not 
leave  us  nor  forsake  us,  that  he  may  incline 
our  hearts  unto  him  to  keep  his  command- 
ments, and  his  statutes,  and  his  judgments, 
that  our  hearts  may  be  perfect  with  the 
Lord  our  God  all  our  days.  We  present 
these  our  imperfect  prayers  and  most  un- 
worthy services  in  the  all-prevailing  name 
Df  Jesus,  who  died  for  our  sins  a.nd  rose 
again  for  our  justification,  and  who  ever 
liveth  to  make  intercession  for  us,  to  whom 
be  honor  and  dominion  everlasting.     Amen. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  Heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 


PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS. 


I 


No.  I. 

For  One  who  is  a  Professor  of  Beligion. 

rilHY  vows,  O  God,  are  upon.  mc.  I  have 
i  subscribed  my  name  unto  the  Lord, 
and  entei-ed  into  covenant  with  thee.  I 
have  taken  the  cup  of  salvation  into  my 
hand,  and  paid  my  vows  unto  thee  in  th^j 
presence  of  the  great  congregation.  1  have 
given  m3^self  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  and  then 
to  th}'  Church,  according  to  the  will  of  God. 
I  have  taken  thy  j^oke  upon  me,  ^nd  have' 
felt  it  to  be  easy,  glorying  in  thy  cross,' 
and  rejoicing  to  be  counted  worthy  to  be, 
th}'^  disciple  and  follower.  I  would  remcm^ 
ber  with  gratitude  and  praise  the  time 
when  first  I  found  thee,  O  Lord — the  time 
of  my  espousals,  when  I  said  unto  my  soul,i 
''Thou  art  my  portion,  0  Lord,  truly  I  am 
thy  servant,"  and  when  thou  didst  say  unto 
me,  "I  am  thy  God  and  Saviour,  I  havej 


.. 


loved  thee,  and  chosen  thee,  and  united  thee 
to  m3^self,  and  have  put  mj^  Name  upon 
thee,  and  my  Spirit  within  thee,  and  sealed 
thee  unto  the  da}'  of  redemption,  and  I  will 
never  leave  nor  forsake  thee."  How  sweet, 
O  Lord,  the  memor}'  of  those  transporting 
hours,  when  thou  didst  bring  me  into  thy 
banqueting  house  and  thy  banner  over 
me  was  love;  when  I  felt  no  longer  as  a 
stranger,  or  a  guest,  but  as  a  child,  at  home, 
and  did  eat, and  drink  in  th}-  presence,  and 
partake  of  the  feast  of  fat  things  thy  mercy 
has  prepared  for  them  that  love  thee. 

0  most  merciful  God  and  Father,  it'  is 
with  shame,  and  confusion  of  face,  and  with 
an  aching  void  in  my  cold,  careless,  worldly 
heart  I  now  come  before  thee.  The  thoughts 
of  thy  loving  kindness,  thy  tender  mercy, 
and  thy  forgiving  love  bring  tears  to  my  eyes 
and  sorrow  to  my  heart  when  1  consider  how 
ungrateful  1  have  been,  how  prone  to  wander 
forgetful  of  my  highest  "^ve,  my  best  friend, 
and  my  most  satisfying  joy.  And  now,  O 
Lord,  I  am  in  circumstances  of  j^eculiar  dif- 
ficulty and  danger  to  my  soul.  Away  from 
home,  separated  from  Christian  friends,  de- 
prived of  the  accustomed  means  of  grace, 
surrounded  by  temptations;  ex2:)0sed  to  evil 


TP 


RSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS. 


example  and  corrupt  communications,  to  all 
the  devices  of  Satan,  the  lusts  of  the  flesh, 
and  the  pride  of  life,  I  am  greatly  tempted 
to  restrain  prayer  before  God,  and  to  forget 
and  forsake  Thee  utterly. 

Forsake  me  not,  O  God  of  my  salvation. 
Take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me.  Make 
thy  grace  sufficient  for  me,  and  perfect 
strength  in  my  weakness.  Restore  my  soul. 
Revive  my  love  and  affections  toward  thee. 
Rekindle  the  flame  of  my  first,  happy,  heav- 
enly love.  Reanimate  my  faith,  and  hope, 
and  peace,  and  joy.  Inspire  me  with  courage, 
confidence,  and  affection.  Fill  me  with  zeal 
for  thine  honor  and  glory,  and  for  the  salva- 
tion of  souls.  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  and 
renew  a  right  spirit  within  me.  Deliver  me 
from  the  spirit  of  unmanly  fear  and  shame 
in  confessing  thee  before  men,  and  let  not 
the  praise  of  men  or  the  honor  that  cometh 
from  men  deprive  me  of  Th}'  favor,  which  is 
life,  and  of  that  l^ior  that  cometh  from 
thee,  which  is  better  than  life.  Restore  un- 
to me  the  joys  of  th}^  salvation,  and  satisfy 
me  with  thy  mercy,  that  I  may  rejoice  and 
be  glad  before  thee.  As  I  have  received  the 
Lord  Jesus,  do  thou  enable  and  dispose  me 
to  esteem  it  my  interest,  privilege,  happi- 


PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS.       103 

ness,  and  duty  to  walk  and  to  live  with  Him. 
Enable  me,  6  Lord,  to  hold  fast  mine  integ- 
rity, and  to  keep  mj^self  unspotted  from  the 
world.  Keep  me  from  fiilling,  and  uphold 
me  by  thy  free  Spirit;  that  by  a  holy,  con- 
sistent, humble  walk  and  conversation  I  may 
prove  the  gospel  to  be  all  divine,  adorn  the 
doctrine  of  God  my  Saviour,  and  glorify  him 
who  bought  me  with  his  precious  blood,  in 
my  body,  soul,  and  spirit,  which  are  his. 
Strengthen  me  with  all  might  in  the  inner 
man  that  I  may  contend  earnestl}^  and  fight 
manfully  the  good  fight  of  faith,  and  wrestle 
hard  not  only  with  flesh  and  blood,  but  with 
principalities  and  powers.  Clothe  me  with 
the  whole  armor  of  God,  that,  having  done 
all  thy  holy  will,  and  lived  to  thine  honor 
and  glory,  I  may  come  off  a  conqueror,  and 
more  than  a  conqueror,  through  him  that 
loved  me,  and  gave  Himself  for  me,  to  whom, 
with  thee,  O  Father,  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
be  all  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing,  both 
now  and  for  ever.     Amen. 

Our  Father,  \y1^o  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  etc. 


104       PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS. 
]^0.  II. 

For  a  Backslider. 

MOST  boly,  blessed,  and  gracious  God,  on 
M-hom  is  all  my  dependence,  and  from 
whom  is  all  my  hope  and  expectation,  I  am 
ashamed,  and  blush  to  appear  before  thee 
from  whom  I  have  so  often  and  so  grievously 
wandered,  and  whose  long  suffering  and  pa- 
tience I  have  so  long  abused  by  my  way- 
wai'd,  worldly,  and  wicked  course.'  I  have 
forsaken  thine  ordinances,  neglected  thy 
Word,  and  profaned  thy  Sabbaths.  I  have 
restrained  prayer,  cast  off  fear,  and,  having 
loved  this  present  evil  world,  have  lived  unto 
myself,  and  not  unto  Him  who  died  for  me, 
and  rose  again  for  my  justification,  and  who 
ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  ibr  me.  I 
know  not  how  to  lift  up  my  eyes  unto 
heaven,  for  I  have  provoked  Thee  to  anger 
and  jealousy  by  trifling  with  th}"  love,  griev- 
ing thy  Holy  Spirit,  trampling  under  foot 
the  ETlood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  and 
by  thus  crucifying  afresh  the  blessed  Saviour 
and  putting  him  to  an  open  shame.  God  be 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner.  I  am  without 
excuse,  and  speechless  before  thee.  I  ac- 
knowledge my  transgressions  which  I  have, 


PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS.        105 

from  time  to  time,  committed  against  thee, 
against  light  and  love;  and  against  my  own 
knowledge  and  conscious  guilt;  and  in  man- 
ifesting such  base  ingratitude,  unbelief,  and 
ungodliness. 

I  have  often  resolved  and  promised  that  I 
would  return  from  the  error  of  my  ways 
unto  Thee  the  good  and  gracious  Shepherd  of 
my  ^oul ;  but  I  have  again  broken  my  faith 
and  relapsed  into  my  fo-rmer  carelessness 
and  open  sin  j  and  have  thus  trifled  with  thy 
long  enduring  and  compassionate  forbear- 
ance, and  forfeited  all  claim  to  thy  promised 
mercy.  Wert  thou,  therefore,  O  holy  and 
righteqas  Saviour,  to  enter  into  judgment 
with  me,  and  to  require  an  account  of  my 
stewardship,  I  could  not  stand  before  thee. 
But  may  I  not,  O  most  merciful  Saviour,  fly 
from  the  bar  of  thy  justice  to  the  throne  of 
thy  grace,  beseeching  thee  to  show  pity  and 
forgiveness  to  mo,  because  thou  delightest 
in  mercy  and  art  able  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most all  that  come  unto  God  by  thee?  Thou 
hast  assured  me  by  thy  word  and  by  my 
own  past  experience  that,  as  a  father  pities 
and  forgives  his  offending  child,  so  dost  thou 
yearn  over  th}^  prodigal  children,  and  have 
compassion  on  them,  and  draw  them  back 


106       PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS. 

to  thee  by  the  cords  of  love.  I  know,  O 
Lord,  that  thy  tender  mercies  are  over  all 
thine  other  works,  and  that  thine  arm  of 
mercy  and  heart  of  love  are  ever  open  to 
receive  returning  wanderers  to  thy  fold.  O 
God  of  all  power,  O  God  of  mercy  and  com- 
passion, reclaim  and  restore  my  soul.  Say 
not  that  I  am  joined  to  my  idols,  let  him 
alone.  Leave  me  not  to  my  own  heart's 
lusts  nor  to  the  wiles  of  the  Devil.  Give  me 
not  up  to  obduracy  and  impenitence.  For- 
sake me  not,  des.pise  me  not,  0  God  of 
salvation.  Take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit  from 
me.  Come  to  my  help,  O  thou  who  art 
the  hope  of  Israel  and  the  Saviour  thereof 
in  time  of  trouble.  Thou  didst  come  to 
call  sinners  to  repentance;  to  seek  and  save 
the  lost;  to  die  for  the  ungodly;  to  impart 
thy  grace  .and  gifts  even  to  the  rebellious; 
to  save  the  chief  of  sinners;  and  in  no 
wise  to  cast  out  any  that  come  unto  Thee. 
Quicken  my  soul  that  I  may  run  after  thee. 
Wilt  thou  not  revive  me  again,  and  renew 
me  unto  repentance  and  godly  sorrow,  and 
heal  all  my  backslidings,  and  love  me  freelj^? 
Wash  me  thoroughly  from  my  iniquities,  and 
restore  unto  me  the  joy  of  thy  salvation; 
my  early  faith;   my  first  love;   my  ardent 


*     "personal  and  private  prayers.     107 

hope;  my  exultant  confidence;  my  jubilant 
anticipations;  my  soul-refreshing  intercourse 
and  communion  with  Thee,  in  all  the  means 
of  thy  grace;  my  ardent  zeal  and  cheerful 
delight  in  the  keeping  of  thy  command- 
ments, and  in"  doing  and  suffering  all  thy 
righteous  will. 

Cleanse  me  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh 
and  spirit.  Set  me  free  from  the  bondage 
of  corruption  and  the  sins  that  do  so  easily 
beset  me.  O  help  me  against  the  power  of 
prevailing  iniquity.  If  thou  wilt,  thou  canst 
make  me  willing,  working  in  me  both  to 
will  and  to  do  of  thy  good  pleasure.  Thou 
who  didst  justify  the  Publican,  and  hear  the 
prayer  of  the  thief  on  the  cross,  listen  to 
this  my  penitential  confession.  Manasseh 
sinned,  but,  having  repented,  Avas  forgiven. 
David  also  sinned,  but  when  he  sought  for- 
giveness he  obtained  mercy.  Peter  denied 
thee  and  fell,  but  was  restored  by  thy  look 
of  transforming  power.  Thou  didst  make 
Paul  a  pattern  of  mercy  unto  all  ^vho  should 
hereafter  believe.  Comfort,  then,  and  con- 
vert my  soul.  Father  of  mercies  and  God  of 
all  consolation.  Make  this  camp  {or  hospital, 
or  tent)  a  Bethel  where  I  shall  meet  with, 
and  be  reconciled  to  God.    Make  it  a  Bochim, 


108       PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS. 

a  place  of  penitential  tears,  earnest  prayer, 
and  reanimated  faith  and  hope.  May  its 
duties,  difficulties,  and  dangers,  its  tempta- 
tions and  trials,  drive  me  more  helplessly  to 
Thee  who  canst  make  them  all  helps  aiKl  not 
hinderances,  a  daily  discipline,  and  a  means 
and  opportunity  of  doing  good.  Let  Thy 
grace  be  sufficient  for  me.  Perfect  strengtli 
in  my  weakness.  Uphold  me  by  th}'  free 
Spirit,  and  keep  me  by  thy  power  through 
faith  unto  salvation. 

Hear  my  pra^-er,  0  Lord.  As  a  back- 
sliding child  I  have  heard  th^^  voice  and 
come  unto  thee.  Eestore,  therefore,  and 
'Strengthen  thy  servant,  that  a  sense  of  par- 
doning merc}^  and  constraining  love  may 
enable  and  dispose  me  to  proclaim  thy  grace 
to  others;  that  sinners  may  be  converted 
unto  Thee,  and  that  I  may  serve  thee  hence- 
forward with  joy  and  alacrit}^;  and  be  daily 
growing  in  meekness  for  the  hour  of  my 
departure,  and  for  an  inheritance  among  the 
saints  made  perfect,  that,  with  the  innumer- 
able multitude  of  the  redeemed,  I  may  ever- 
more ascribe  all  glory  and  praise  unto  Him 
who  loved  me,  and  washed  me  in  his  own. 
precious  blood. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  etc. 


PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS.        109 


No.   III. 

Prayer  of  a   Sinner  for  Mercy,  Repentance, 
and  Faith. 

OiVTNISCIENT,  omnipresent,  and  heart- 
soarching  God,  all  things  are  naked  and 
open  unto  thee  with  whom  I  have  to  do. 
Thou  art  acquainted  wnth  all  my  ways. 
Thou  knowest  my  thoughts  afar  off,  and 
ray  heart,  and  life,  and  character;  my  down- 
sitting  and  my  uprising,  my  outgoing  and 
my  incoming  are  not  hidden  from  thy  sight. 
It.  is  in  Tlice  I  live,  and  move,  and  have  my 
being,  and,  as  thou  hast  appointed  the  bounds 
of  vay  life,  and  the  hour  of  my  death,  so 
when  thou  saj^est  return,  my  body  shall 
return  unto  the  dust  from  which  it  sprang, 
and  my  soul  unto  thee  who  gave  it,  that  I 
may  receivb  according  to  the  deeds  done 
while  in  my  body,  whether  they  have  been 
good  or  evil. 

O  God,  thou  righteous  Judge  eternal,  con- 
vert my  inmost  soul.  Impress  deeply  upon 
my  thoughtless  heart  the  reality  and  infi- 
nite importance  of  eternal  things.  Bring  the 
future  near.  Make  things  invisible  to  mor- 
tal eyes  clear  and  certain  to  my  spiritual 
vision.     Awaken'  and    arouse  me  to  a  full 


110       PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS. 

conviction  of  the  uncertainty  of  life,  the 
nearness  and  certainty  of  death,  and  of  that 
judgment  which  is  after  death.  May  my 
eyes  be  opened  to  see,  and  my  ears  to  hear, 
and  m}^  heart  to  feel,  and  my  conscience  to 
condemn,  that,  ere  it  be  too  late,  J  may  be 
converted  and  saved.  May  thy  goodness 
lead  me  to  repentance,  and  the  terrors  of 
the  Lord  persuade  me  to  turn  unto  thee  that 
Thou  may  est  have  mercy  upon  me.  What 
shall  it  profit  me,  0  God,  if  I  gain  the  whole 
world  and  lose  my  own  soul,  or  what  could 
I  give  in  exchange  for  my  soul  if  lost  ?  O 
that  in  this,  the  day  of  my  merciful  visita- 
tion, I  may  be  enabled  and  disposed  to 
attend  to  the  things  that  belong  to  my 
everlalting  peace,  before  they  are  for  ever 
hidden  from  my  eyes. 

I  am  a  sinful  man,  0  God.  My  own  heart 
condemns  me,  and  thou  art  greater  than  my 
heart,  and  knowest  all  things.  O  God,  thou 
knowest  my  foolishness,  and  my  sins  are  not 
hid  from  thee.  I  am  a  sinner,  O  God,  and 
one  of  the  chief  of  sinners.  I  was  born  in 
sin  and  prone  to  evil,  and  I  went  astray  from 
the  womb  speaking  lies.  Thou,  O  God,  hast 
not  been  in  all  my  thoughts,  to  love  and 
serve  thee.     I  have  set  thge  at  naught,  and 


PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS.       HI 

cast  off  all  fear  of  thee,  and  have  lived 
without  thee  and  without  hope  in  the  Avorld. 
I  have  sliamefuUy  neglected  those  things 
which  I  ought  to  have  done,  and  as  shame- 
lessly done  those  things  which  I  ought  not 
to  have  done.  I  have  abused  thy  goodness 
and  mercy  which  ought  to  have  led  me  to 
repentance,  by  abounding  in  sin,  and  living 
unto  myself,  seeking  my  own  pleasure  and 
profit,  following  the  desires  and  devices  of 
my  own  evil  heart,  loving  this  present  evil 
world,  and  living  according  to  its  fashion  in 
the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  the  lusts  of  the  eyes, 
and  the  pride  of  life.  I  have  thus  made  an 
idol  of  myself,  and  a  god  of  my  belly,  and 
have  gloried  in  mj^  shame,  worshipping  and 
serving  the  creature  more  than  the  Creator, 
wdio  is  God  over  all  and  blessed  for  ever. 
And  I  have  thus  acted  against  all  the  en- 
dearments of  thy  mercies  and  terrors  of  thy 
wrath ;  against  all  the  striving  of  thy  spirit, 
and  admonitions  of  thy  providence,  and 
warnings  of  my  own  conscience. 

Lord,  be  merciful  unto  me  a  presumptu- 
ous, ungrateful,  false,  faithless,  desperately 
blind,  and  foolish  sinner.  Have  mercy  upon 
me,  O  God,  and  blo^  out  my  transgressions. 
Wash  me  thoroughly  from  my  iniquity,  and 


112       PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS. 

cleanse  me  from  my  sin.  For  I  acknowledge 
my  transgressions,  and  my  sin  is  eVer  before 
me. 

And  yet,  O  God,  thou  hast  borne  with  me, 
and  hast  had  patience,  and  hast  not  cast  me 
off  in  the  midst  of  my  sins,  and  suddenly 
destroyed  me  without  remedy.  Let  my 
prayer  therefore,  O  Lord,  come  before  thee 
in  this  acceptable  time,  when  I  may  be  heard 
and  saved.  0  God,  in  the  multitude  of  thy 
mercy  hear  me,  according  to  the  greatness 
of  thy  salvation.  Hear  me,  0  Lord,  for  thy 
loving  kindness  is  good.  Hide  not  thy  face 
from  thy  servant,  for  I  am  in  trouble.  Hear 
me  speedily.  Draw  nigh  unto  my  soul,  and 
redeem  and  deliver  it.  Work  in  me  a  full 
conviction  of  my  guilt  and  misery.  Open 
my  heart  to  receive,  and  to  feel  tliy  grace, 
and  mercy,  and  forgiving  love.     Behold  me, 

0  Lord,  at  thy  mercy  seat  pleading  guilty 
and  surrendering  myself  to  thee,  from  whom 

1  cannot  escape.  I  have  not  one  word  to 
offer  in  my  vindication  or  excuse.  Neither 
can  I  understand  nor  describe  the  enormity 
and  wickedness  of  my  sins,  as  committed 
against  the  g^ory  of  thine  infinite,  majesty, 
the  unspeakable  preciousness  of  the  blood 
of  thy  dear  Son,  and  the  boiundless  love  and 


PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS.       113 

graciousness  of  the  ever  blessed  Spirit.     O 
God,  thy  love  and  long-suffering  patience  in 
waiting  still  to  be  gracious  to  me  that  my 
soul  may  live,  and  not  die  eternally,  is  mar- 
vellous.   Save  tlierefore  now,  I  beseech  thee, 
O  God  of  my  salvation.     Convince,  convert, 
and  regenerate  my  soul.     I  ask  forgiveness, 
O  Father,  and  hope  for  it  only  because  of 
thy  abundant,  free,  and  sovereign  mercies, 
and  the  infinite  merits  of  thy  most  gracious, 
compassionate,  and  all-sufficient  Saviour,  and 
the  illimitable,  condescending  tenderness  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  the  Comforter.    Now,  there- 
fore, O  God,  give  me  faith,  repentance,  and 
power  to   turn   unto   thee  with  my  whole 
heart,  and  to  yield  myself,  body,  soul,  and 
spirit,  unto  thee,  a  living  sacrifice,  that  1 
may  live  the  rest  of  my  life  unto  Him  that 
loved  me  and  gave,  himself  for  me,  so  that 
to  me  to  live  may  be  Christ,  and  to  die  gain. 
Grant  these  petitions,  O  most  merciful  God, 
through   the  merits   and  mediation  of  thy 
only   Son,   and  my  only   Saviour   and  Ee- 
deemer  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus-  Christ,  etc 


114       PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS. 

No.  lY. 

«         For  a  Sick  or  Wounded  Soldier. 

MOST    gracious  and    merciful   God,  thou, 
^ost  not  willingly  afflict  the  children  of 
men,  neither  dost  thou  hide  thy  face  from 
them,   but  dost   hear  when    they  cr}^  unto 
thee.     With  thee  are  the  issues  of  life  and 
death.     Thou  bringest  down  to  the  grave, 
and  art  able  to  restore  again  to  health,  and 
to    heal    all  our    diseases,  and    renew  our 
strength    like    the    eagle's.      I    rejoice,   O 
Father,  that  I  can  look  to  thee  in  my  present 
painful  affliction,  and  feel  that  it  does  not 
spring  from  the  dust,  nor  come  upoh  me  by 
oliance,  but  that  it  is  ordered  and  overruled 
by  thy  holy,  wise,  and  gracious  providence. 
I  resign    myself  therefore    wholly  to    thy 
guidance,  and  cast  myself  upon  thy  mercy. 
O  merciful   Father,  make  me  to  hear   thy 
voice,  saying  unto  me  as  to  a  son,  My  son 
despise  not  thou  the  chastening  of  the  Lord, 
neither  faint  when  thou  art  rebuked  of  him. 
O  Lord,  as  a  son,  I  would  learn  obedience, 
and  yield  to  thee  an  affectionate  and  confid- 
ing submission.      I  would  now  arise,   and 
come  unto  thee,  my  most  gracious  and  piti- 
ful Father,  and  say.  Father,  I.  have  sinned 


PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS.        116 

against  thee,  and  provoked  thy  just  dis- 
pleasure. But  with  thee  there  is  plenteous 
redemption,  and  as  it  is  thy  property,  so 
thou  delightest  to  have  mercy.  Have  com- 
passion upon  me,  thy  poor,  prodigal  son,  and 
receive  and  restore  me  to  thy  favor,  and  my 
long  lost  home  and  happiness. 

I  knoAV,  O  Lord,  that  thou  canst  do  all 
things,  and,  if  it  is  consistent  with  thine 
all- wise  arrangement,  thou  canst  look  upon 
me,  and  forthwith  I  shall  live,  and  recover 
strength  before  I  go  hence  and  be  no  more ; 
and  that,  if  not,  thou  canst  make  thy  grace 
sufficient  for  me,  and  enable  me  to  resign, 
life,  healtli,  and  happiness  to  thy  disposal, 
t  and  to  say,  Father,  thy  will  be  done.  I  know 
that  all  thy  judgments  are  right,  that  thou 
doest  all  things  well,  and  that  in  very  faith-  4 
fulness  thou  dost  afflict  me.  But,  0  Lord,  I 
am  sinful  and  full  of  fears.  I  am  unpre- 
pared to  stand  before  thy  judgment  seat, 
and  therefore  I  an}  afraid  to  die.  I  am  op- 
pressed. My  soul  is  cast  down  within  me, 
and  I  cannot  so  much  as  lift  up  mine  eyes 
to  heaven.  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner. 
In  weakness  and  in  misery  I  cast  my .-^ elf  at 
thy  feet.  I  am  without  excuse.  Neither 
would  I  cloak   nor  dissemble   my  offences, 


116       PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS. 

which  are  all  naked  and  open  unto  tliee,  0 
holy,  omniscient,  and  righteous  God  !  with 
whom  I  have  now  to  do,  and  who  art  able 
to  cast  soul  and  body  into  hell  for  ever.  O 
Thou,  who  art  the  hope  of  sinners  arid  their 
Saviour  in  time  of  trouble,  intei-cede  for  me, 
and  give  me  repentance  and  remission  of 
sins.  Thou  who  art  mighty  to  save  to  the 
uttermost  all  who  come  unto  God  by  thee, 
and  who  art  not  willing  that  any  should 
perish,  but  that  all  should  come  unto  thee 
and  live,  do  Thou  undertake  for  me,  and 
have  mercy  upon  me.  Say  unto  my  soul,  I 
am  thy  salvation.  Convince,  convert,  and 
comfort  me  by  thy  Hol}^  Spirit.  Give  me  a 
new  heart  and  a  humble,  contrite,  and  be- 
lieving spirit.  Pardon  all  my, innumerable 
sins  of  heart  and  life.  Cleanse  me  from 
their  guilt,  power,  and  pollution.  Justify 
me  freely  for  thine  own  Name's  sake,  that  I 
maj^  have  peace  with  God,  through  thee,  my 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

1  acknowledge,  0  Lord,  that  while  the 
stroke  of  thy  hand  is  heavy  upon  me,  and 
the  sdfferings  I  deserve,  and  have  feared, 
have  come  upon  me,  that  in  wrath  thou 
rememberest  mercy.  Thou  hast  not  dealt 
with  me  according  to  my  sins  nor  rewarded 


PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS.       Il7 

me  according  to  my  iniquities.  Thou  might- 
est  have  driven  me  away  in  my  wickedness, 
and  destroyed  me  suddenly,  and  given  no 
opportunity  for  repentance,  nor  for  calling 
upon  thee  for  grace  and  mere}'.  I  bless 
thee  for  this  sure  token  of  thy  loving  kind- 
ness and  willingness  to  save  me  ere  it  be  too 
late.  May  it  be  so,  O  Lord  !  Grant  me  that 
godly  sorrowing  for  sin  that  shall  not  need 
to  be  repented  of  I  would  love  thee,  O 
blessed  Saviour,  who  didst  so  love  me  as  to 
give  thj'Self  for  me,  and  didst  redeem  me — 
not  with  gold  and  silver,  but  with  thine  own 
precious  blood — let  thy  love  be  so  shed 
abroad  in  my  heart  as  to  constrain  me  to 
love  Thee.  Take  this  poor,  weak,  sinful 
heart,  and  make  it  thine.  Seal,  sanctify, 
and  save  it.  Cast  not  a  trembling,  helpless 
sinner  from  thy  presence,  neither  take  thy 
Holy  Spirit  from  me.  Glorify  thj'self  in  me 
as  the  helper  of  the  helpless  and  the  Saviour 
of  the  lost,  that  the  bones  which  thou  hast 
broken  may  rejoice,  and  my  sinking  spirits 
may  be  lifted  up  with  hope  in  God,  and  re- 
joice in  the  fulness  of  the  blessings  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ. 

If  it  b^  thy  blessed  will,  relieve  my  pains, 
remove  imy  sickness,  and  restore  my  health, 


118       PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS. 

that  I  may  live  to  serve  and  glorify  Thee, 
with  m}^  body  and  spirit,  whicli  are  thinel 
But  should  tliis  sickness  be  unto  death,  im- 
part unto  me  a  holy,  happy  resignation. 
Into  thy  loving  hands  I  commend  my  spirit. 
Thy  l^kssed  will  be  done,  whether  by  life  or  ■ 
death.  Only,  O  Lord,  I  beseech  thee,  for- 
give all  my  sins  and  prepare  my  soul,  b}' 
unfeigned  faith  and  true  repentance,  for  the 
time  of  my  departure,  that  I  may  die  the 
death  of  the  righteous,  and  my  last  end  be 
his.  Wean  my  heart  from  the  world  and  all 
its  vanities.  Fix  it  upon  the  things  above 
which  are  at  thy  right  hand.  Bring  the 
invisible  realities  of  eternity  so  near 'that 
by  faith  1  may  have  a  foretaste  of  them,  as 
joys  substantial  and  sincere.  May  the  fear 
of  dying  be  swallowed  up  by  the  assured 
hope  of  life  everlasting.  In  all  my  pains  of 
body  and  anxieties  of  spirit,  may  thy  con- 
solations refresh  and  delight  my  soul.  May 
thy  Spirit  calm  my  mind  and  soothe  its  sor- 
rows. Be  thou,  O  Saviour,  with  me,  and  let 
thy  rod  and  staff  comfort  me.  Then  shall  I 
be  confident,  and  willing  rather  to  depart 
than  live,  knowing  that  while  at  home  in 
the  body  I  am  absent  from  the  Lord,  and 
that  when  the  earthly  house  of  this  taber- 


PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS.       119 

nacle  is  dissolved  I  have  a  building  of  God, 
a  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in 
the  heavens,  and  an  inheritance  beyond  the 
grave,  purchased  by  Thy  precious  death  for 
all  believers,  which  is  undcfiled,  and  that 
fadeth  not  away;. 

And  now,  O  Lord,  who  art  the  Prince  of 
glory,  who  hast  abolished  death,  and  de- 
stroyed him  that  has  the  power  of  death, 
even  the  Devil;  wlio  wast'thyself  dead  and 
art  alive  again  and  livest  for  evermore;  ful- 
fil these  my  desires  and  petitions,  and  unto 
thee,  the  King  eternal,  immortal,  and  invisi- 
ble, the  only  wise  God  and  our  Saviour,  Jesus 
Christ,  I  will  ascribe  the  glory  of  my  salva- 
tion both  now  and  for  evermore.    Amen. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 

No.  Y. 
On  Recovery  from  Sickness. 

MOST  merciful  and  gracious  God,  thou  art 
good,  and  thou  doest  good,  and  thy  ten- 
der mercies  are  over  all  thy  works.  What 
I  have  learned  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear 
thou  hast  now  taught  me  by  my  own  happy 
experience.     I  w^as  brought  low,  even  to  the 


120       PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS. 

mouth  of  the  grave ;  my  heart  and  my  flesh 
failed  me,  and  I  said,  I  shall  not  live,  but  die. 
But  thou,  O  Lord,  hast  kept  me  alive  that  1 
should  not  go  down  into  the  pit.  Thou  hast 
lifted  me  up  from  the  gates  of  death,  and 
spared  me  to  recover  strength  before  I  go 
lience  and  be  no  more.  It  is  .of  the  Lord's 
mercies  that  I  have  not  been  cut  off  in  the 
midst  of  my  days,  and  while  unprepared  to 
die.  Bless  the  Lord,  0  my  soul,  and  let  all 
that  is  within  me  bless  his  holy  name,  w^ho 
has  healed  ray  disease  and  restored  my  soul, 
and  renewed  my  youth,  health,  and  vigor. 
O  Lord,  I  would  praise  thee  for  thy  good- 
ness and  for  thy  mercy,  which  endurcth  for 
ever.  Thou  hast  remembered  m*e  in  my  low 
estate;  thou  hast  heard  my  prayer;  thou 
hast  had  pitiful  compassion  upon  thy  most 
unworthy  servant,  so  that  he  shall  not  die, 
but  live,  and  declare  the  works  of  the  Lord. 
The  living,  the  living  in  the  midst  of  the 
dying,  O  may  I  live  to  love,  and  serve,  and 
praise  Thee.  O  may  I  love  Thee  more  and 
serve  thee  better  every  day. 

O  Lord,  who  hast  heard  the  voice  of  my 
supplication  and  delivered  my  soul  from 
death,  w^hat  shall  I  render  unto  thee  for  all 
this  unmerited  mercy  shown  unto  me  ?    May 


PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS.       121 

I  walk  before  thee  in  the  land  of  the  living ; 
md,y  I  take  the  cup  of  salvation,  and  pay 
unto  thee  the  vows  my  soul  in  anguish 
made.  I  will  offer  unto  thee  in  the  pres- 
ence of  thy  people  the  sacrifices  of  thanks- 
giving, and  call  upon  thy  name ;  I  will  pre- 
sent body,  soul,  and  spirit  unto  thee,  whose 
mercies  crown  my  days,  as  my  most  reason- 
able service ;  I  will  live  not  unto  myself,  or 
as  if  I  were  mine  own,  but  unto  Him  who  so 
loVed  me  as  to  give  himself  for  me  ;  who 
bought  me  with  "the  price  of  his  own  pre- 
cious blood,  and  in  whom  I  now  live  and 
have  my  being. 

O  thou  God  of  grace,  give  me  grace  that 
the  life  thy  goodness  has  preserved  may  be 
thus  unreservedly  dedicated  to  thee.  May 
I  not  live  to  spend  my  strength  in  the  pur- 
suit of  worldly  vanity,  or  in  heaping  up 
riches,  or  in  selfish  ease,  sinful  ungodliness, 
and  unbelief  May  I  not  live  to  abuse  thy 
long  suffering  and  forbearing  mercy.  O 
Lord,  have  compassion  upon  me,  and  grant 
me  thy  Hol}^  Spirit  to  work  in  me  to  will 
and  to  do  according  to  thy  good  pleasure;  so 
that  the  life  spared  may  be  spent  in  holiness 
and  righteousness  toward  Thee,  and  in  serv- 
ing my  generation  in  the  promotion  of  the 


122       PERSONAL  AND  PRIVATE  PRAYERS. 

temporal  and  spiritual  welfare  of  my  fellow- 
men,  according  to  the  will  of  God.  O  keep 
me  by  thy  power,  merciful  Saviour,  lest  I  sin, 
and  some  worse  thing  come  upon  me.  Dis- 
pose my  heart,  and  help  me  to  give  all  dili- 
gence to  make  my  calling  and  election  sure, 
and  to  work  out  my  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling.  Make  me  always  mindful  how 
frail  I  am;  how  helpless;  how  easily  pros- 
trated and  brought  low;  how  soon  I  may 
die,  and  how  certainly  I  must  die;  and  how 
surely  I  must  stand  after  death  before  the 
judgment  f^eat  of  Christ  to  receive  according 
to  the  deeds  done  in  my  body,  whether  they 
have  been  good  or  evil;  and  may  I,  there- 
fore, be  enabled  so  to  live  as  that  every  day 
shall  be  a  step  nearer  to  the  fruition  of  thine 
everlasting  glory.  Grant  this,  0  most  mer- 
ciful Father,  for  Christ's  sake,  my  only  Me- 
diator and  Eedeemer.     Amen. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  etc. 


SHORT  PRAYERS. 


For  Morning. 

MERCIFUL  God  iind  Father,  I  have  both 
hiid  me  down  and  slept  in  peace  and  have 
awaked  in  health,  because  thou,  O  Lord,  hast 
sustained  me.  i31es8  the  Lord,  O  mj  soul, 
for  these  mercies,  and  for  every  other  good 
and  perfect  gift  that  comes  down  from  Him. 
As  thou  preserved  me  from  all  the  dangers 
of  the  night,  may  thy  powerful  providence 
sustain  and  succor  me  through  this  day  from 
danger,  disease,  and  death.  Pardon  vc^y 
sins,  and  convert  my  soul,  and  grant  me  thy 
salvation.  May  I  spend  this  day  in  thy  fear, 
as  seeing  Thee  who  art  not  far  from  any  one 
of  us,  and  be  kept  by  thy  grace  from  all 
temptation.  Ma}'  I  be  attentive  to  every 
dut}',  and  watchful  against  anger,  evil  speak- 
ing, and  the  sins  that  most  easily  beset  me. 
May  I  be  contented,  cheerful,  and  happy, 
whatever  may  happen,  and  be  alike  prepared 
for  peace  or  war,  for  life  or  death. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 


124  SHORT    PRAYERS. 

Christ,  and  tlie  love  of  God,  and  the  com- 
munion of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with  my  soul. 
Amen. 

This  day  I  wake  me  up  from  sleep, 
I  pray  thee,  Lord,  my  soul  to  keep  ; 
If  I  ihoiild  die  before  it  close, 
With  thee  in  bliss  may  I  repose; 
And  this  I  beg  for  thy  Name's  sake. 

For  Evening. 

AT  the  close  of  another  day  I  come  unto 
thee,  O  Lord,  who  art  the  good  Shep- 
herd who  never  slumbers,  nor  sleeps,  and 
commit  into  thy  hands  my  body,  soul,  and 
spirit.  Thou  art  my  creator,  preserver,  and 
most  gracious  Kedeemer,  who  hast  bought 
me  with  thy  most  precious  blood.  0  receive 
me  into  thy  kingdom  of  gri4ce  now,  and  into 
thj^  kingdom  of  glory  hereafter.  Speak 
peace  to  my  soul.  Give  me  power  to  repent 
and  believe,  and  hope  in  thy  power  and  wil- 
lingness to  save  my  soul.  May  1  rest  peace- 
fully under  the  shadow  of  thy  wings,  and 
enjoy  refreshing  sleep,  undisturbed  by  any 
sudden  alarm  of  raging  foes.  Grant  these 
blessings  also  to  my  comrades  in  arms,  and 
pret^erve  us  all  from  painful  disease  and  un- 
prepared death.  May  I  awake  in  the  morn- 
ing in    health  and   strength,  fitted   for  the 


*  SHORT    PRAYERS.  125 

duties  and  dangers  of  the  day.  Bless  all  mj 
dear  friends,  and  may  we  be  spared  to  meet 
again  in  peace  and  prosperity,  to  rejoice 
before  thee  all  the  days  of  our  lives.  G-rant 
these  requests,  O  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  in 
whose  words  I  Avould  farther  call  upon  thee 
as 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  etc. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,  etc. 

This  night  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep, 

I  pray  thee,  Lord,  my  soul  to  keep  ;        » 

If  I  should  die  before  I  wake, 

I  pray  thee,  Lord,  my  soul  to  take  ; 

And  this  I  beg  for  thy  Name's  sake. 

On  Going  into  Bottle. 

OLOED,  into  thine  hands  I  commit  my 
spirit,  for  thou  hast  redeemed  me,  O 
Lord  God  of  truth.  With  thee  are  the  issues 
of  life  and  death.  Thou  hast  the  keys  of 
death  and  the  grave,  so  that  when  thou 
open  est  no  man  shutteth,  and  when  thou 
shuttest  no  man  can  open.  All  events  are 
at  thy  command.  I  leave  myself  entirely 
at  thy  disposal  in  this  battle,  not  knowing 
what  shall  befall  me,  whether  life  or  death. 
Prepare  me,  O  gracious  Father,  to  live  or  to 


126  SHORT    TRAYERS. 

die;  so  that,  whether  living  or  dying,  I  may 
be  the  Lord's.  May  a  sense  of  pardoned  sin 
and  peace  with  thee  through  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus 'Christ  cast  out  all  fear,  and 
enable  me,  as  a  good  and  faithful  soldier,  to 
fight  manfully,  and  contend  earnestly  against 
the  enemies  of  mj^  beloved  country,  and  in 
defence  of  life  and  liberty,  of  our  mothers, 
wives,  and  sisters,  of  our  homes  and  happi- 
ness, and  of  a  pure  Bible,  and  a  freedom  to 
serve  and  worship  God  according  to  its 
teachings  and  the  dictates  of  conscience. 
-Righteous  Father,  vindicate  the  oppressed, 
and  avenge  us  of  our  adversaries.  If  I 
perish,  may  our  cause  triumph.  Take  my 
family  and  friends  into  thy  divine  keeping, 
and  save  my  soul,  and  receive  me  into  thy 
i^lor}^,  O  Lord,  through  Jesus  Christ,  my 
Lord  and  Saviour.     Amen. 

In  Prospect  of  Battle. 

OLOKD  God,  from  whom  I  have  received 
life,  and  oy  whom  that  life  has  been 
preserved  until  this  present  moment,  I  would 
humbly  and  confi.dently  commit  myself  to 
thy  holy  keeping  in  the  prospect  of  coming 
battle.     May  thoughts  suitable  to  so  solemn 


SHORT   PRAYERS.  127 

an  occasion  take  possession  of  my  mind,  and 
in  the  fear  of  the  Lord  may  I  go  onward. 
Believing  that  the  cause  in  which  I  am  en- 
gaged is  just  and  righteous,  and  in  defence 
of  the  sacred  rights,  honor,  liberty,  and 
independence  of  our  beloved  countrj^,  and 
for  the  truth  of  th}'  Word,  the  honor  of  th}' 
iS^ame,  and  the  glory  of  thy  holy,  wise,  and 
powerful  providence,  I  would  desire  to  feel 
the  courage  and  determination  of  a  loyal, 
patriotic,  and  faithful  soldier,  and  to  perform 
my  dut}''  faithfully.  Thou  art  my  almighty 
shield,  and  canst  ward  off  danger  in  the 
midst  of  the  conflict.  If  it  be  thy  holy  will, 
may  my  Hie  be  preserved  while  1  remain 
steadfast  to  my  post,  and  let  all  cowardly 
fear  be  banished  from  my  heart.  May  I  feel 
safe  under  thy  providence,  and  may  I  trust 
thee  for  life  or  for  death.  Grant  that  my 
soul  may  be  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Christ, 
and  should  it  be  thy  purpose  that  I  should 
fall,  may  the  sting  of  death,  which  is  sin,  be 
taken  away.  May  the  shield  of  thy  protec- 
tion be  placed  before  my  comrades,  and  may 
they  all  cast  themselves  on  thy  mercy.  0- 
Lord,  grant  that  victory  may  rest  on  our 
banners,  and  discomfit  our  enemies,  who 
wage  wicked  and  cruel  war  against  us.    May 


128  SHORT   PRAYERS. 

God  pardon  their  sins  and  save  their  souls, 
but  destroy  their  lives,  and  deliver  us  from 
them,  and  give  us  victory  over  them.  To 
thee,  O  Lord,  I  now  commit  my  soul  and 
body,  and  may  I  not  forget  thee  amid  the 
roar  of  battle.  This  I  earnestly  ask  for 
Christ's  sake;  and  to  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost  shall  be  all  the  praise.     Amen. 

On  Sentinel  and  Picket  Duty. 

OH  GOD,  who  hast  brought  this  war  upon 
us,  and  made  it  the  duty  and  privilege 
of  QYQvj  citizen  who  is  able  to  come  up  to 
the  help  of  our  invaded  and  oppressed  coun- 
try against  her  wicked  and  tyrannical^  ene- 
n>ies,  I  come  to  thee  for  wisdom,  power,  and 
protection.  I  am  commanded  to  occupy  the 
outpost  of  dano'cr,  and  to  protect  our  army 
from  sudden  surprise.  Go  with  me,  and  may 
thy  gracious  presence  cheer  and  support  me. 
Help  me  to  be  sober,  vigilant,  faithful,  and 
fearless,  and  use  well  my  eyes  and  ears  in 
detecting  danger  and  announcing  its  ap- 
proach. Preserve  me  from  being  overcome 
by  sleep,  or  betrayed  by  carelessness,  or 
destroyed  by  presumption.  Deliver  me  from 
the  deceitful  foe,  and  from  the  unseen  danger. 


SHORT    PRAYERS.  120 

Teach  me  how  to  improve  the  time  bj  call- 
ing upon  thee  in  prayer,  meditating  on  thy 
glorious  gospel,,  and  holding  communion 
with  a  reconciled  God,  Father,  and  Friend, 
a  gracious  Eedeemer,  and  a  most  gracious 
Comforter.  And  do  thou,  0  God,  search  me, 
and  try  my  heart,  and  discover  to  me  every 
evil  way  that  is  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the 
way  everlasting.  Grant,  O  God,  these  mer- 
cies for  the  sake  and  merits  of  thy  Son,  our 
blessed  Saviour  and  Eedeemer.     Amen. 

When  Sick  and  Wounded. 

OMOST  righteous  God,  thou  hast  seen  fit 
to  lay  me  aside  from  active  duty,  and  to 
appoint  for  me  pain  and  suffering;  may  I 
patiently  submit  to  thy  holy  will,  and  be 
kept  from  murmuring  and  repijiing.  Thou 
canst  heal  the  maladies  of  my  body,  and 
make  the  remedies  employed  efficacious.  If 
it  be  for  thy  glory,  may  I  be  restored  to 
health,  and  may  I  yet  live  to  serve  my  God 
and  my  country.  Grant,  too,  that  I  may 
be  prepared  for' all  that  may  happen,  so  that 
whether  I  live  I  may  live  to  the  Lord,  or 
whether  I  die  I  may  die  to  the  Lord,  and 
living  or  dying  still  be  his...  This  I  ask  for 
the  Saviour's  sake.  Amen. 
9 


130  SHORT    TRAYERS. 


For  Divine  Guidance. 


OLORD,  thou  who  art  the  hearer  of 
prayer,  be  pleased  in  thy  intinite  mercy 
to  fill  my  heart  witlt  thy  grace,  that  I  may 
be  safely  kept  amid  all  the  temptations  of 
camp-life.  Surrounded  as  I  am,  by  many 
who  have  not  the  fear  of  God  before  their 
eyes,  and  whose  conversation  and  conduct 
are  ungodly,  let  me  not  be  led  away  by  their 
example.  i^-S  thou,  Lord,  seest  me,  may  I 
fear  to  commit  any  known  sin.  May  I 
never  be  led  to  take  thy  name  in  vain,  and 
suffer  me  not  in  thoughtlessness  or  passion 
to  us'e  profane  language,  for  thou  wilt  not 
hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  thy  name  in 
vain.  Guard  me  also  from  intemperance, 
by  which  reason  is  blinded  and  the  soul  un- 
fitted for  the  presence  of  God.  From  every 
other  sin,  good  Lord,  deliver  me.  When 
called  to  the  performance  of  difficult  and 
dangerous  duties  be  thou  my  great  protec- 
tor. Fill  my  soul  with  Thy  love  and  fear; 
cleanse  me  from  every  sin  of  my  life  in  the 
blood  of  Christ;  and  reconcile  me  to  Thee 
through  his  atoning  sacrifice,  so  that  I  may 
be  ever  ready  to^say,  The  Lord  is  my  refuge, 
and  my  present  help  in  trouble.  All  which 
I  aiSk  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake.     Allien. 


SHORT   PRAYERS.  131 

A  G-eneral  Thanksgiving.   ■ 

ALMIGHTY  God,  FatlHer  of  all  mercies, 
we,  thine  unworthy  servants,  do  give 
thee  most  humble  and  hearty  thanks  for  all 
thy  goodness  and  loving  kindness  to  us,  and 
to  all  men.  We  bless  thee  for  our  creation, 
preservation,  and  all  the  blessings  of  this 
life;  but,  above  all,  for  thine  inestimable  love 
in  the  redemption  of  the  world  by  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  for  the  means  of  grace,  and 
for  the  hope  of  glory.  And,  we  beseech 
thee,  give  us  that  due  sense  of  all  thy  mer- 
cies, that  our  hearts  may  be  unfeignedly 
thankful,  and  that  we  may  show  forth  thy 
praise,  not  only  with  our  lips,  but  in  our 
lives;  by  giving  up  ourselves  to  thy  service, 
and  by  walking  before  thee  in  holiness  and 
righteousness  all  our  days;  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord,  to  whom,  with  thee  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  be  all  honor  and  glory,  world 
without  end.     Amen. 


Thanksgiving. 

0  ALMIGHTY  God,  our  heavenly  Father, 
we  poor  sinners  lift  up  our  hearts  to 
thee,  to  bless  and  praise  thy  holy  name  for 


132  SHORT   PRAYERS. 

all  thy  manifold  and  great  mercies  to  these 
Confederate  States,  from  the  first  day  even 
until  now.  O  most  mighty  and  gracious 
good  God,  thy  mercy  is  over  all  thy  works, 
but  in  special  manner  hath  been  extended 
toward  us,  th}^  people,  whom  thou  hast  so 
powerfully  defended.  Thou  hast  showed  us 
wonderful  and  terrible  things;  but  thou  hast 
continued  to  protect  and  bless  us,  that  we 
might  see  how  powerful  and  gracious  a  God 
thou  art;  how  able  and  ready  to  help  those 
who  trust  in  thee.  O  God,  with  deep  thank- 
fulness of  spirit  we  worship  and  adore  thee 
for  thy  protecting  power  and  grace.  Be 
thou  still  our  God,  our  guide,  and  mighty 
defender.  And  make  us,  we  beseech  thee, 
truly  sensible  of  thy  mercies.  And  give  us 
hearts  always  ready  to  express  our  thank- 
fulness, not  only  by  words,  but  also  by  our 
lives,  in  being  more  obedient  to  thy  holy 
commandments;  that  we,  whom  thou  hast 
saved,  may  serve  thee  in  holiness  and  right- 
eousness all  the  days  of  our  lives ;  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  and  Saviour.  Amen. 
— Bishop  Davis. 


SHORT    PRAYERS.  133 


General  Prayer. 

OMOST  powerful  and  glorious  Lord  God, 
the  Lord  of  Hosts,  that  rulest  and  com- 
mandest  all  things,  thou  sittest  on  the  throne 
judging  right,  and,  therefore,  we  make  our 
address  to  thy  divine  majesty,  that  thou 
\vouldst  take  our  cause  into  thine  own  hands, 
and  judge  between  us  and  our  enemies.  Our 
trust  is  in  thy  mighty  power.  Stir  up  thy 
strength,  O  Lord,  and  come  and  help  us,  for 
thou  givest  not  always  the  battle  to  the 
strong,  but  canst  save  by  many  or  by  few. 
0  let  not  our  sins  cr}^  against  us  for  ven- 
geance, but  hear  us,  thy  servants,  begging 
mercy  and  imploring  thy  help,  and  that 
thou  wouldst  be  a  defence  unto  us  against 
the  face  of  our  enemies.  We  implore  thy 
protection  and  power  against  those  who 
have  invaded  our  soil  and  our  homes.  We 
humbly  look  up  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  and  say 
that  we  have  done  them  no  wrong.  Eaise 
up  thy  power  and  come  among  us,  and  with 
great  might  help  us.  Be  thou  our  strong- 
hold in  the  day  of  our  calamity.  We  flee 
unto  thee  for  succor,  and  our  hope  is  in  thy 
great  and  glorious  name.  Defend,  O  Lord, 
and   establish   our   cause.     Endue   us   with 


184  SHORT    PRAYERS. 

power  and  strength ;  give  us  victoiy  over 
all  our  enemies,  and  raake  it  ai)pear  that 
thou  art  our  Saviour  and  mighty  deliverer, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. — 
Bisho})  Davis. 

Collect. 

WE  beseech  thee,  0  God,  favorabl}^"  to 
behold  this  government  and  people, 
now  bending  before  thee  in  deej)  liumility 
of  heart;  confessing  their  own  sins,  ac- 
knowledging thy  divine  sovereignty,  and 
earnestl}'  imploring  thy  heavenl}-  benedic- 
tion and  grace.  We  are  sinful,  but  thou,  O 
Lord,  art  holy  and  merciful.  We  are  weak, 
but  thou  art  mighty.  Draw  near  and  help 
us;  pardon  our  sins  and  receive  and  answer 
'our  prayers.  Bless  our  rulers,  direct  their 
counsels,  unite  their  hearts,  strengthen  their 
hands,  and  prosper  all  their  undertakings. 
And  may  it  please  thee,  0  Lord  God,  to 
visit  and  bless  this  whole  people  in  this  time 
of  danger  and  trial.  Be  thee  our  present 
helper  and  defender,  and  a  strong  tower 
against  the  face  of  our  enemies.  Give  cour- 
age and  strength  to  our  army  and  navy. 
Fight  with  us,  0  God,  against  tho*e  who 
are  threatenin<r  our  homes,  our  firesides,  aad 


SHORT   PRAYERS.  135 

our  families.  Confound  their  counsels,  bring 
to  naught  their  wicked  devices,  subdue  their 
pride,  break  their  power,  and  deliver  us  from 
all  their  oppressions  and  wrongs;  that  vre, 
thy  people,  being  hurt  by  no  persecutions, 
may  be  preserved  evermore  to  glorify  thee, 
who  art  the  only  giver  of  all  victory.  Grant 
this,  O  P^ather  Almighty,  for  the  sake  of  thy. 
blessed  Son,  our  Redeemer  and  Saviour  Je- 
sus Christ.     Amen. — Bishop  Davis. 

Confession. 

A  LMIGPITY  and  most  merciful  Father, 
Xjl  we  have  erred,  and  strayed  from  thy 
ways  like  lost  sheep.  We  have  followed  too 
much  the  devices  and  desires  of  our  own 
hearts.  We  have  offended  against  thy  holy 
laws.  We  have  left  undone  those  things 
which  we  ought  to  have  done,  and  we  have 
done  those  things  which  we  ought  not  to 
have  done,  and  there  is  no  health  in  us. 
But  thou,  O  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us,  mis- 
erable offenders.  Spare  thou  those,  O  God, 
who  confess  their  faults.  Ecstore  thou  those 
who  are  penitent,  according  to  thy  promises 
declared  unto  mankind,  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord.     And  grant,  O  merciful  Father,  for 


136  SHORT    PRAYERS. 

his  sake,  that  Ave  may  hereafter  live  a  godly, 
righteouH,  and  sober  life,  to  the  glory  of  thy 
holy  name.     Amen. 


0 


For  Defence. 

GOD,  who  art  the  author  of  peace  and 
lover  of  concord,  in  knowleolge  of  whom 
standeth  oar  eternal  life,  whose  service  18 
perfect  freedom;  defend  us,  thy  humble  ser- 
vants, in  all  assaults  of  our  enemies;  that 
M'c,  surely  trusting  in  thy  defence,  may  not 
fear  the  power  of  any  adversaries,  through 
the  might  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

A  Prayer  for  Soldiers  under  Sentence  of  Death. 

0  FATHER  of  mercies,  and  God  of  all 
comfort,  we  fly  unto  thee  for  succor  in 
behalf  of  these  thy  servants,  who  are  now 
under  the  sentence  of  condemnation.  The 
day  of  their  calamity  is  at  hand,  and  they 
are  accounted  as  of  those  who  go  down  into 
tlie  yjit.  Blessed  Lord,  remember  thy  mer- 
cies; look  upon  their  infirmities;  hear  the 
voice  of  their  complaint;  give  them,  we  be- 
seech thee,  patience  in  this  their  time  of 
adversity,  and  support  under  the  terrors 
which   encompass    them  ;   set   before   their 


SHORT    PRAYERS.  137 

eyes  the  things  they  have  done  in  the  body, 
which  have  justly  provoked  thee  to  anger; 
and  forasmuch  as  their  continuance  appear- 
eth  to  be  short  among  us,  quicken  them 
80  much  the  more  by  thy  grace  and  Holy 
Spirit;  that  they,  being  converted  and  rec- 
onciled to  thee,  before  thy  judgments  have 
cut  them  off  from  the  earth,  may  at  the 
hour  of  their  death  depart  in  peace,  and 
be  received  into  thy  everlasting  kingdom, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

For  Forgiveness. 

ALMIGHTY  and  everlasting  God,  who 
hatest  nothing  that  thou  hast  made, and 
dost  forgive  the  sins  of  all  those  who  are 
penitent,  create  and  make  in  us  new  and 
contrite  hearts,  that  we,  worthily  lamenting 
our  sins  and  acknowledging  our  wretched- 
ness, may  obtain  of  thee,  the  God  of  alT 
mercy,  perfect  remission  and  forgiveness, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

For  Direction. 

DIRECT  us,  O  Lord,  in  all  our  doings, 
with    thy   most    gracious    favor,    and 
further  us  with  thy  continual  help;  that  in 


138  SHORT   PRAYERS. 

all  our  works  begun,  continued,  and  ended 
in  thee,  we  may  glorify  thy  holy  name,  and 
finally,  by  thy  mercy,  obtain  everlasting  life; 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

Oji  Deliverance  from  Enemies. 

0  ALMIGHTY  God,  who  art  a  strong 
tower  of  defence  unto  thy  servants 
against  the  face  of  their  enemies,  we  yield 
thee  praise  and  thanksgiving  for  our  deliver- 
ance from  those  great  and  ajparent  dangers 
wherewith  we  were  compassed.  We  acknowl- 
edge it  is  of  thy  goodness  that  we  Avere  not 
delivered  over  as  a  prey  unto  them;  and  be- 
seech thee  still  to  continue  such  thy  mer- 
cies toward  us,  that  all  the  world  may  know 
that  thou  art  our  Saviour  and  mighty  De- 
liverer ;  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
Amen. 

Prayer  for  those  Exposed  to  Banger. 

ALMIGHTY  God,  the  Saviour  of  all  men, 
we  humbly  ask  thy  tender  care  and  sure 
protection  for  thy  servants  who  have  come 
forth  at  the  call  of  their  country,  to  defend 
its  government  and  to  protect  its  people  in 
their  property  and  honres,  their  rights  and 


SHORT    PRAYERS.  139 

liberties,  their  wives  and  children,  their 
sisters  and  servants,  their  altars  and  their 
Bibles.  Let  thy  fatherlj^  hand,  we  beseech 
thee,  be  over  us;  let  thy  Holy  Spirit  be 
with  us;  let  thy  good  angels  have  charge 
of  us;  with  thy  loving  kindness  defend  us  as 
with  a  shield,  and  either  bring  us  out  of 
our  peril  in  safety,  with  a  heart  to  show 
forth  thy  praises  for  ever,  or  else  sustain  ua 
with  that  glorious  hope,  by  which  alone 
thy  servants  can  have  victory  in  suffering 
and  death;  througli  the  sole  merits  of  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 


Prayer  during  our  present  National  Troubles. 

0  ALMIGHTY  God,  who  art  a  strong 
tower  of  defence  to  those  who  put  their 
trust  in  Thee,  whose  power  no  creature  is 
able  to  resist,  we  make  our  humble  cry  to 
thee  in  this  hour  of  our  country's  need.  Thy 
property  is  always  to  have  mercy.  Deal  not 
with  us  according  to  our  sins,  neither  reward 
us  according  to  our  iniquities;  but  stretch 
forth  the  right  hand  of  thy  majesty,  and  be 
our  defence  for  thy  Name's  sake.  Shed  upon 
the  counsels  of  our  rulers  the  spirit  of  wis- 
dom, and  moderation,  and  firmness,  and  unite 


140  SHORT    PRAYKRS. 

the  hearts  of  our  people  as  the  heart  of  one 
man  in  upholding  the  supremacy  of  law, 
and  the  cause  of  justice  and  peace,  and  the 
sacred  rights,  honor,  and  independence  of 
our  Confederacy.  Abate  the  violence  of 
passion  j  banish  pride  and  prejudice  from 
every  heart;  turn  away  ungodliness  from 
us,'  and  incline  us  all  to  trust  in  thy  righteous 
2)rovidence,  and  to  be  ready  for  every  duty, 
enduring  hardship  as  good  soldiers,  and 
bearing  patiently  every  needful  sacrifice  and 
self-denial.  And  oh,  that  in  thy  great  mercy 
thou  wouldst  make  this  war  to  cease,  and  so 
order  all  things  that  peace  and  happiness, 
truth  and  justice,  religion  and  piety,  may  be 
established  among  us  for  all  generations. 
These  things,  and  whatever  else  thou  shalt 
see  to  be  necessary  and  convenient  for  us, 
we  humbly  beg  through  the  merits  and  me- 
diation of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  and  Saviour. 
Amen. 

,  To  he  used  in  Ships  of  War. 

OETEENAL  Lord  God,  who  alone  spread- 
est  out  the  heavens,  and  rulest  the  raging 
of  the  sea;  who  hast  compassed  the  waters 
with  bounds,  until  day  and  night  come  to  an 
end  ;  be  pleased  to  receive  into  thy  Almighty 


SHORT   PRAYERS.  .  141 

and  most  gracious  protection  the  persons  of 
us  thy  servants,  and  the  fleet  [or  ship']  in 
which  we  serve.  Preserve  us  from  the  dan- 
gers of  the  sea,  and  from  the  violence  of  the 
enemy;  that  we  may  he  a  safeguard  unto 
the  Confederate  States  of  America,  and  a 
security  for  such  as  pass  on  the  seas  upon 
their  lawful  occasions;  that  the  inhabitants 
of  our  land  may  in  peace  and  quietness  sei-ve 
thee  our  God;  and  that  we  may  return  in 
safety  to  enjoy  the  blessings  of  the  land, 
with  the  fruits  of  our  labor;  and,  with  a 
thankful  remembrance  of  thy  mercies,  to 
praise  and  glorify  thy  holy  name,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

Sailors'  Prayer. 

OGOD  our  Father !  wash  us  from  all  our 
sins  in  the  Saviour's  blood,  and  we  shall 
be  whiter  than  snow.  Create  in  us  a  clean 
heart,  and  fill  us  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  that 
we  may  never  be  ashamed  to  confess  the 
faith  of  Christ  crucified,  and  manfully  to 
fight  under  his  banner  against  sin,  the 
world,  and  the  Devil ;  looking  to  Jesus  the 
great  Captain  of  our  salvation.  We  ask  it 
ail,  because  he  lived,  died,  rose  again,  and 
ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  us. 
Amen. 


142  SHORT    PRAYERS. 


During  a  Storm. 

OMOST  powerful  and  glorious  Lord  God, 
at  whose  command  the  winds  blow  and 
lift  up  the  waves  of  the  sea,  and  who  stillest 
the  rage  thereof;  we,  thy  creatures,  but  mis- 
erable sinners,  do  in  this  our  great  distress 
cry  unto  thee  for  help :  Save,  Lord,  or  else 
we  perish.  We  confess  when  we  have  been 
safe,  and  seen  all  things  quiet  about  us,  we 
have  forgotten  thee,  our  God,  and  refused  to 
hearken  to  the  still  voice  of  th}^  Word,  and 
to  obey  thy  commandments;  but  now  we 
see  how  terrible  thou  art  in  all  thy  works  of 
wonder ;  the  great  God  to  be  feared  above 
all;  and  therefore  we  adore  thy  Divine  Maj- 
esty, acknowledging  thy  power,  and  im- 
ploring thy  goodness.  Help,  Lord,  and  save 
us  for  thy  mercies'  sake,  in  Jesus  Christ,  thy 
Son  our  Lord.     Amen. 

Thanksgiving  After  a  tStorm. 

OMOST  mighty  and  gracious  good  God, 
thy  mercy  is  over  all  thy  works,  but  in 
.special  manner  hath  been  extended  toward 
us,  whom  jthou  hast  so  powerfully  and  won- 
derfully  defended.     Thou   hast   showed  us 


SHORT   PRAYERS.  143 

terrible  things,  and  wonders  in  the  deep, 
that  we  might  see  how  powerful  and  gra- 
cious a  God  thou  art ;  how  able  and  ready 
to  help  those  who  trust  in  thee.  Thou  hast 
showed  us  how  both  winds  and  seas  obey 
thy  commands;  that  we  maj^  learn  even 
from  them  hereafter  to  obey  thy  voice,  and 
to  do  thy  will.  We  therefore  bless  .and  glo- 
rify thy  name  for  this  thy  mercy,  in  saving 
us  when  Ave  were  ready  to  perish.  And  we 
beseech  thee,  make  us  as  truly  sensible  now 
of  thy  mere}'  as  we  were  then  of  the  dan- 
ger; and  give  us  hearts  always  ready  to 
express  our  thankfulness,  not  only  by  words, 
but  also  by  our  lives,  in  being  more  obedient 
to  thy  holy  commandments.  Continue,  we 
beseech  thee,  this  thy  goodness  to  us ;  that 
we,  whom  thou  hast  saved,  may  serve  thee, 
in  holiness  and  righteousness  all  the  days  of 
our  lives,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  and 
Saviour.     Amen. 

For  a  Sick  Person. 

0  FATHER  of  mercies  and  God  of  aU 
comfort,  our  only  help  in  time  of  need, 
look  down  from  heaven,  we  humbly  beseech 
thee,  behold,  visit,  and  relieve  thy  sick  ser- 


144  SHORT    PRAYERS. 

vani,  for  whom  our  prayers  are  desired. 
Look  upon  bim  -vvith  the  eyes  of  thy  mercy; 
comfort  him  with  a  sense  of  thy  goodness; 
preserve  him  i'rom  the  temptations  of  the 
enemy;  give  him  patience  under  his  afflic- 
tion; and,  in  thy  good  time,  restore  him  to 
health,  and  enable  him  to  lead  the  residue  of 
his  life  in  thy  fear  and  to  thy  glory.  Or  else 
give  Inm  grace  so  to  take  thy  visitation  that, 
after  this  painful  life  ended,  he  may  dwell 
with  thee  in  life  everlasting;  througli  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

After  Sudden  Visitation. 

OMOST  gracious  Father,  we  fly  unto  thee 
for  mercy  in  behalf  of  this  thy  servant 
bore  lying  under  the  sudden  visitation  of 
thine  hand.  If  it  be  thy  will,  preserve  his 
life,  that  there  may  be  place  for  repentance. 
But  if  thou  hast  otherwise  appointed,  let  thy 
mercy  supply  to  him  the  want  of  the  usual 
opportunity  for  the  trimming  of  his  lamp. 
Stir  up  in  him  such  sorrow  for  sin  and  such 
fervent  love  to  thee,  as  may  in  a  short  time 
do  the  work  of  many  days.  That  among  the 
praises  which  thy  saints  and  holy  angels 
shall  sing  to  the  honor  of  thy  mercy  through 


THE    CREED.  145 

eternal  ages,  it  may  be  to  thy  unspeakable 
gloiy,  that  thou  hast  redeemed  the  soul  of 
this  thy  servant  from  eternal  death,  and 
made  him  partaker  of  the  everlasting  life, 
which  is  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
Amen.  • 

For  Close  of  any  Service. 

ALMIGHTY  God,  who  hast  given  us  grace 
at  this  time  with  one  accord  to  make 
our  common  supplications  unto  thee,  and 
dost  promise  that  when  two  or  three  are 
gathered  together  in  thy  name  thou  wilt 
grant  their  requests,  fulfil  now%  O  Lord^ 
the  desires  and  petitions  of  thy  servants,  as 
may  be  most  expedient  for  them;  granting 
us  in  this  world  knowledge  of  thy  truth, 
and  in  the  world  to  come  life  everlasting. 
Amen. 

The  Creed. 

I  BELIEVE  in  God  the  Father  Almighty, 
maker  of  heaven  and  earth  •  and  in 
Jesus  Christ  his  only  Son,  our  Lord;  who 
was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  born  of 
the  Virgin  Mary ;  suifered  under  Pontius 
Pilate,  was  crucified,  dead,  and  buried;  he 
10 


146  GLORIA    IN    EXCELSIS. 

desceiulcd  into  hell:"''  the  third  day  he  rose 
again  from  t]ie  dead;  lie  ascended  into  heav- 
en, and  sitteth  on  tlie  right  hand  of  (lod  the 
Father  Ahniglit}^;  from  thence  ho  shall  come 
to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.  I  believe  in 
the  Holy  ferhost;  the  Holy  Catholic  Church; 
the  Communion  Of  Saints;  the  forgiveness  of 
sins;  the  resurrection  of  the  body;  and  the 
life  everlastinir-     Amen. 


Gloria  in  Excelsis. 

GLOEY  be  to  God  on  high,  and  on  earth 
])eace,  good  will  toward  nien.  \Ye  praise 
thee,  we  bless  thee,  we  worship  thee,  we  glo- 
rif}^  thee,  we  give  thanks  unto  thee  for  thy 
great  gloiy,  O  Lord  God,  heavenly  King, 
God  the  Father  Almighty. 

O  Lord,  the  only  begotten  Son,  Jesus 
Christ ;  O  Lord  God,  Lamb  of  God,  Son  of 
the  Father,  that  takest  away  the  sins  of  the 
world,  have  mercy  upon  us.  Thou  that 
takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  have 
mercy  upon  us.  Thou  that  takest  away  the 
sins  of  the  world,  receive  our  prayer.  ThoU 
that  sittest  at  the  right  hand  of  God  the 
Father^  have  mercy  upon  us. 

*  i.  e.  Continued  in  the  state  of  the  dead,  and  under  the 
power  of  deathi,  until  the  third  day. 


THE    TEN    COMMANDMENTS.  147 

For  thou  onl}'  art  holy;  tlioii  only  art  the 
Lord;  thou  only,  O  Christ,  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,  art  most  high  in  the  glory  of  God  the 
Father.     Amen. 

'^ 
The  Ten  Commandments. 

I.  Thou  shalt  have  none  other  gods  but  me. 

II.  Thou  shalt  not  make  to  thyself  any 
graven  image,  nor  the  likeness  of  anything 
that  is  in  heaven  al;)Ove,  or  in  the  earth  be- 
lleath,  or  in  the  water  under  the  earth.  Thou 
shalt  not  bow  down  to  them,  nor  worship 
them;  for  I  the  Lord  th}^  Ood  am  a  jealous 
God,  and  visit  the  sins  of  the  fathers  upon 
the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth  gen- 
eration of  them  that  hate  rne  ;  and  show 
mercy  unto  thousands  in  them  that  love  me 
and  keep  my  commandments. 

IIL  Thou  sluilt  not  take  the  name  of  the 
Lord  thy  God  in  vain;  for  the  Lord  will  not 
hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in 
vain. 

IV.  Remember  that  thou  keep  holy  the 
Sabbath  day.  Six  days  shalt  thou  labor, 
and  do  all  that  thou  hast  to  do;  but  the 
seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy 
God ;  in  it  thou  shalt  do  no  manner  of  work, 


148  TUE    TEN    COMMANDMENTS. 

thou,  and  thy  son,  and  thy  daughter,  thy 
man  servant,  and  thy  maid  servant,  th}^  cat- 
tle, and  the  stranger  that  is  within  thy  gates. 
For  in  six  days  tlie  Lord  made  lieaven  and 
earth,  the  sea.  and  all  that  in  them  is,  and 
rested  the  seventh  day.  Wherefore  the  Lord 
blessed  the  seventh  da}^  and  hallowed  it. 

V.  Honor  th}^  father  and  thy  mother,  that 
thy  days  may  be  long  in  the  land  which  the 
Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee. 

VI.  Thou  shalt  do  no  murder. 

VIL  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adulteiy. 
VEIL  Thou  shalt  not  steal. 

IX.  Thou  si) alt  not  bear  false  witness 
against  thy  neighbor. 

X.  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's 
house;  thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's 
wife,  nor  his  servant,  nor  his  maid,  nor  his 
ox,  nor  his  ass,  nor  anything  that  is  his. 

O  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us,  and  incline 
our  hearts  to  keep  these  laws,  for  Christ's 
sake.     Amen. 

Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are 
heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.  Take 
my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me,  for  I 
am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart,  and  ye  shall 
iind    rest    for  your  souls;    for  my  yoke   is 


SELECTIONS    OF    SCRIPTURE.  149 

easy,  and  my  burden  is  light. — Matt,  xi,  28. 
29,  30. 

For  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave 
liis  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life. — John  iii,  16. 

Tiiis  is  a  true  saying,  and  worthy  of  all' 
acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners,  of  whom  1  am  Chief 
— 1  Tim.  i,  15. 

If  any  man  sin  we  have  an  advocate  witli 
the  Father,  Jesus  Christ,  the  righteous  ;  and 
he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins. —  1  John 
ii,  1,2. 


selections  of  scripture  for  use  on 
various  occasions. 

For  a  Day  of  Thanksgiving. 

Exod.ch.3,1.4,15,17.  Nehem.  ch.  8,  12. 

Deut.  ch.  7,  28,  35.  Ps.  18,  20,  3i;  83,  34, 

Josh.  ch.  4.  46,  47,  48,  66,  68, 

2  Sam.  ch.  7.  75,  76,  77,  78,  85, 

1  Kings,  ch.  12.  89,  96,  97,  98,  i05, 

1  Chron.  ch.  16,  17,  106,  107,  108,  110, 
V.  16-27.  117,  118,124,125, 

2  Chron. ch. 7,30,31.      '  126,  lo5,  136,  145, 
E/ira,  ch.  7.  146,  147. 


150  SELECTIONS    OF    SCRIPTURE. 

Esther,  ch.  5,  7,  8,  9.  Is.  ch.  14, 25,  26, 37, 38. 

Lament,  ch.  o.  1  Tim.  ch.  2. 

Ezek.  cii.  39.  Eev.  ch.  4,  5,  6,  7, 

Zephaii.  ch.  3.  15,  18,  19. 

For  a  Day  of  Humiliation. 

Gen.  ch.  18,  32.  60,  62,  63,  64,  69, 

Exocl.  ch.  32,  33.  70,  71,  74,  78,  79, 

Numb.  ch.  13,  14.  80,  81,  82,  86,  90, 

Dent.  ch.  4, 9, 10, 11,  91,   94,    102;  115, 

27,  28,  29,  30,  32.  123,  137,  140, 144. 

Jiulg-esf  ch.  6.    •  Is.  ch.   1,  3,  5,  7,  8, 

2  Sam.  ch.  24.  10,  13,  22,  24,  33, 

1  Kings,  ch.  8, 18,  21.  34,  36,  37;  44,  v. 

2  Kings,  ch.  17,  18,  1-8  and  v.  21-28; 
19,  20,  23,  24,  25.  59,  63,  64. 

1  Chron.  ch.  21.  Jer.  ch.  2,  5,  6,  7,  8, 

2  Chron.    ch.   6,  30,  9,   11,   13,  14,  16, 
34,  35.  17,  18.  19,  20,  21, 

Ezra,  ch.  8,  9,  10.  22,  42,  46. 

Nehem.  1,  2,  4,  6,  9,  Sam.  cli.  1,  4,  5. 

10,  13.  Ezek.   6,  11,  14,  18, 

Esther,  ch.  3,  4.  21,  22,  25,  33,  34, 

Job,  ch.  1,40,  41.  36. 

Ps.  2,  7,  9,  K),  11, 17,  Dan.  ch.  3,  4,  5,  6,  9. 

22,  27,  28,  35,  37,  Hos.  ch.  7,  14. 

38,  41,  42,  43,  44,  Joel,  ch.  1,  2,  3. 

52^  55,  56,  57,  59,  Amos,  ch.  5. 


SELECTIONS  OF    SCRIPTURE.    "      '    151 

Obad.  Luke,  ch.  13.       , 

Jonah,  ch.  3,  12.  Acts,  4,  5, 12,  1(3,  27. 

Miciih,  ch.  6.  Rom.  ch.  13. 

Habak.  ch.  3.  2  Cor.  ch.  1. 

Zcch.  ch.  9.  1  Pet.  ch.  1,  2,  4. 

Mai.  ch.  1,  3.  2  Pet.  ch.  2,3. 

Matt.  ch.  5.  6,  7,  8,  Jude. 

14,  18,  24,  25.  Eov.  ch.  2,  3. 

For  Victor  If. 

Gen.  ch.  14.  I  Kings,  ch.  20. 

Numb.  ch.  21.  2  Kings,  ch.  3. 

Dent. c. 7, 28, V.  1-14.  1  Chron.  ch.  19. 

Deut.  ch.  31,  V.  1-8.  2  Chron.  ch.  20,  32. 

Josh.  ch.  8,10,11, 33.  Ps.  9,  18,  21,  31,  44, 

.ludges,  4,  5,  7,  20.  46,  47,  48,  7G,  77, 

1  Sam.  ch.  7,  14,  17,  78,  124,  135;  and 
30.  many  of  those  un- 

2  Sam.  ch.  5,  8,  10,  derThanksgiving. 
18,  22.  Josh.  23,  24. 

For  Repulse. 

Josh.  ch.  7.  J  or.  ch.  46,  50. 

2  Chron.  ch.  18.  Deut.  ch.  34. 

Is,  ch.   30,  42;  and  Josh.ch.  23,  and  24 

several  under  Ilu-  in  part. 

miliation.  Judges,  ch.  16. 

Gen.  ch.  49,  v.  28-33,  1  Sam.  ch.  2,  v.  1-11. 

and  cli.  50,  V.  1-14.  1  Sam.  ch.  4. 


152  SELECTIONS    OF    SCRIPTURE. 

1  Sam.  vh.  18,  V.  1-4.     Ecclos.  cb.  9,  y.  1-5, 
1  Sam.  oh.  20  in  part,    ^   v    10,  tuid  eli.   11 
and  2  Sam.  cli  l.^'u.--  and  12. 

1  Sam.  ch.  31,  ana^-Is.  28,38,  40,  v.  1-11, 
2  Sam.  oil.  1,  v.  *  and  v.  26-31;  57, 
25-27.  V.  1-3. 

2  Sam.  ch.  18.  Eom.  ch.  5. 
Job,  ch.  7,  14.  1  Cor.  ch.  15. 
Ps.  39,  44,  49,  60,  78,     2  Cor.  cb.  4,  5. 

79,  90,  103.  1  Thess.  cb.  4. 

For  Funerals. 
J  Tim.  ch.  6,  V.  6-21.     2  Pet.  cb.  1,  3. 
2  Tim.  ch.  4,  v.  1-17,     1  John,  ch.  2,  8,  5. 

and  V.  19-22.  Pev.  cb.  4,  5,  6,  part 

ITeb.  cb.  11,  12.  of  each;  7,  15,  20, 

James,  ch.  5.  21,  22,  or  parts  of. 

1  Pet.  ch.  1. 

For  Peace. 

Ps.  29,30,44,46,47,  Jer.  cb.  30,  31,  32, 

53,  54,  57,  58,  59,         33,  v.  36-44. 

65,  68,  85,  89,  97,  Ezek.  cli.  37,  v.  1-13. 

98,  105,  106,  111,  Naluim,  cb.  1. 

114, 116,  122,  126,  Zepb.  cb.  3. 

127, 136,  144,  147.  Zecb.  cb.  8,  14. 

Is.  ch.  11,  12,  25,  26,  Luke,  ch.  1,  v.  46-56, 

32,  35,  51.  52,  54,         and  v.  67-80. 

61, 62, 65,  V.  17-25. 


DIRECTIONS. 


The  Prayers  under  the  first,  second  and 
third  divisions,  are  made  full,  so  as  when 
necessary,  to  supply  all  that  may  be  required 
in  public  or  private ;  but  as  they  are  sepa- 
rated into  paragraphs,  they  may  be  divided 
or  shortened,  or  combined,  by  omitting  any 
paragraph,  or  by  adding  to  any  prayer 
what  is  contained  in  any  other— as  for  in- 
stance, in  the  case  of  the  Prayers  for  Fami- 
lies, for  Eulers,  for  Eevivals,  &c.  These 
may  be  added  to  any  other  prayer. 


152  SELECTIONS    OF    SCRIPTURE. 


32,  35,  51.  52,  54,         and  v.  67-80. 
61,62,G5,v.l7-25. 


